Journey Through Hell, Part 1
by Sorciere
Summary: In an alternative, darker universe, where the X-Men never existed, two groups of mutants fight to get to safety, before it's too late. Note - the fic will be continued in a part 2, due to upload problems
1. The Shadow Alliance

Title: Journey Through Hell

Author: Sorcieré (hack_heaven@usa.net)

Rating: R

Summary: In an alternative, darker universe where the X-Men and the Brotherhood never existed, two groups of mutants fight to get safely through the country that was once the United States, down to the safety they will hopefully find south of the border. 

Warnings: This is a darker universe. This means that characters can (and will) have sex, get wounded or be killed. If you can't handle that, buzz off. 

A/N: This is the revised version of chapter 1 - around chapter 30, I realized that my style had changed a bit, and it might be a good idea to go back later and re-write the first 10-15 chapters. But as things would have it, it took me an additional 4 months before I actually got around to start on this. I'll take the chapters one at a time, until we reach a point where the styles fit together again. After all the time I've spent on this story, this is the least I can do ^^

__

Italics indicates thoughts

***

Chapter One: The Shadow Alliance

***

Mention the word 'smuggler' and most people will get a mental image of an Asian or Arabian guy with a thick accent. Add the word 'weapons' and some might think of a nonchalant, Sicilian Mafiosi. 

The man in front of Blade was neither. If anything, he looked like he'd just stepped out of the Wall Street Journal – stylish haircut, expensive suit, and a smile that was deceptively pleasant. His three companions, all males in their early thirties, appeared much the same way. 

But as Blade was well aware of, appearances could – and did - deceive. He didn't doubt for a second that the men were all armed underneath the business attire. In fact, he had expected it. They were armed, he was armed, the whole fucking world was armed. That was all part of the game.

But no matter how often Blade had been through this, he always felt a rush of adrenaline. There was always something that could go wrong – the customer could turn on him, the cops could show up, the guards outside could decide that their bribe was too small to keep their eyes closed, and they could call for their colleagues. The adrenaline, the uncertainty was always there, but Blade was careful to keep it well hidden. He could not - and would not - allow himself to show any weaknesses. 

"Well, Mr. Heron?" the man asked, still with the pleasant smile that never quite reached his eyes. "Shall we get on with this?"

__

Yeah, let's do that. I don't trust you, you don't trust me...this is a fucking bottle of nitroglycerine. One kick in the wrong place... Blade thought, but kept those observations to himself. 

"Sure," Blade replied and snapped his fingers. 

He'd always thought it was a rather melodramatic gesture, but this was the way things were supposed to be handled. He had to show his customer that he had loyal men, too, and that he shouldn't be messed with. Otherwise, people might get crazy ideas like trying to take the merchandise without paying. Ideas like that would usually end up with some very messy deaths, and cleaning up after that was expensive, both in time and money.

Behind him, two figures appeared from the shadows, carrying a heavy box. Blade didn't have to turn around to know who it was – after months of practice, they knew exactly who was supposed to do what. 

They all had their parts to play: he negotiated with the customer, Zachary and Jordane carried the box and looked dangerous, and Aaron and Pheonix kept watch at the entrance to the large warehouse. With a strong body and an even stronger mutant power, Zach was perfect for this part of the game, as Blade sometimes called it. Jordane, while smaller and more fragile-looking, still had an attitude that more than made up for that, and as her teammates were well aware, her body hid a potentially devastating power. 

And then there were the last two members of the group, neither of whom could actually be seen from the floor. Laetitia and Hal stayed on the first floor, hidden among the shadows, and watched every move through the scopes of two sniper-rifles. Laetitia was extraordinarily talented with weapons, and while Hal was nowhere near her level, her ability to manipulate luck more than made up for that. 

Those rifles were Blade's lifeline. Sure, because of his mutation, he could see an attack coming before it actually happened, but it would only buy him a few seconds at most – not enough time to draw his own gun and defend himself. If he were faced with a heavily armed customer who was determined to kill him, only the two rifles and their capable owners would be able to save him.

If those rifles failed...well, at least the attackers would never get out alive – the Shadow Alliance protected its own, and neither Zachary nor Jordane would let anyone get away with murdering their leader. 

Blade heard his two teammates walk across the room and silently urged them to hurry. He didn't mind dealing with cold-blooded assassins or arrogant crime-lords, but this guy...this guy was just plain creepy. 

He frowned mentally at his choice of words. Creepy? Perhaps Jordane was right - perhaps he really was starting to adapt to constantly being around the younger members of the team. He certainly wouldn't have used a word like that a year ago, that much was sure.

His thoughts were interrupted when Jordane and Zachary reached the table and placed the box between the two men.

"Well, Mr. Cain," Blade said, mimicking the man's earlier words, "why don't you take a look at the merchandise?"

Cain nodded to his escorts, and one of the men opened the box. He pushed away the cheap packets of crayons that hid the real cargo, then lifted a heavy, dark gray thing out of the box. 

"An infrared-guided missile. Directly from the production line. Eight of them, like you ordered," Blade confirmed. The weapons hadn't been easy to get, not even for him, but the price he had been offered had been more than high enough to make it worth it. 

Cain took the missile and examined it carefully. Satisfied with what he saw, he quickly checked the rest of the cargo.

"Excellent," Cain finally said. 

One of his men placed a metal suitcase on the table and opened it, and Jordane took her cue. With the ease that comes only with practice, she counted the money, occasionally picking up a random bill to check it. Although her looks were far from what you would expect from the second in command of a criminal organization, Blade knew that she would do her job well - if there were anything wrong with the money, she'd notice it.

They all waited in uncomfortable silence while Jordane counted and recounted the money. Finally she nodded to Blade and stepped back. 

Cain motioned to his men, and they grabbed the heavy box. 

"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Heron," he said.

Blade nodded slightly, and Cain sent him another eerie smile before walking away, followed by his men. At the sound of footsteps walking away, Blade felt some the tenseness leave his muscles, and he was surprised that he had reacted that strongly to Cain - he was used to this life, and by now it took a lot to affect him.

More footsteps echoed through the room, this time behind Blade as Jordane walked up behind him and followed Cain with suspicious eyes. 

"He gives me the creeps," she said and toyed absently with her small pocketknife.

Blade nodded, knowing exactly how she felt. He couldn't help but feel that something was wrong...he just couldn't quite tell what it was. 

"Yeah. But he pays good money for the merchandise, and that's enough to make anyone seem likable," he pointed out.

They watched as Cain and his escorts loaded the box into a large van, then got into the vehicle themselves. Four car doors slammed in almost perfect synchronization, and the van drove away.

Blade turned around and headed back to the others.

"Melee? You coming?" he asked, without turning around.

"Sure," Jordane said. She watched for a moment until Cain's car was completely out of sight, then shook her head and followed Blade back to their teammates.

***


	2. The Guardians

***

Chapter Two: The Guardians

***

"Remember, the most important thing is not how hard you hit, it's *where* you hit. The most efficient way to escape from a would-be attacker, is either to elbow him in solar plexus or give him a knee in the groin," Ryan Cretes explained and demonstrated the moves on a punching bag that was shaped like a human.

His words were followed by nods from his small class, mostly women, who were there to learn some basic self-defense. 

"Any question?" he asked. The class shook their heads. 

"Okay, then you give it a try."

Ryan stepped back and watched his class split up in smaller groups and practice on the five human-sized punching bags. Perhaps this wasn't the easiest way to make money, but he didn't mind. It helped him stay in shape, and the room was oddly comfortable to stay in – mats on the wooden floor, walls decorated with a few, but eye-catching Japanese images, and the words 'Rising Sun Martial Arts School' painted on the wall (along with the Japanese sign for 'rising sun', courtesy of Suzuka).

A familiar feeling in the perimeter of his mind caught his attention, and he headed for one of the few windows that weren't covered by long, white curtains. 

Outside, a young, black-haired woman – girl – was unlocking the door. It was Deirdre, the youngest member of the team of mutants who currently lived above the martial arts studio. 

Ryan frowned slightly at the sight of Deirdre - she should have been back hours ago, and this wasn't the first time she'd shown up hours after she was supposed. 

Ryan shook his head to clear his mind. He could talk to Deirdre later. Right now he had a class to teach.

One of his students, a slightly chubby housewife, elbowed a much-abused practice doll, then gave it a knee in the groin. Ryan smiled and nodded.

"Yes. Just like that."

The women smiled back, and Ryan turned his attention to his small class once more.

***

One hour later, when Ryan had left the next class in Suzuka's capable hands, and had taken a much-needed shower, he went looking for Deirdre. She wasn't hard to find – after all, it was limited how many places one could hide in the large, but old, apartment that Ryan and his team called 'home'.

He found her in the small kitchen, looking out the window.

"Seraphim."

Deirdre winced slightly, then turned around with forced nonchalance. Ryan had used her codename. Not a good sign.

"Yes, Ryan?"

Ryan sent her a stern look, the gesture only adding to the natural air of authority that surrounded him. Some would probably have found it strange that someone who was only twenty-three would act that maturely, but then again - some people probably had no idea of just how hard life could be when you were alone on the streets.

"Weren't you supposed to be back hours ago?" Ryan asked, still watching Deirdre.

"I was?" Deirdre asked, and tried to play on her natural look of wide-eyed innocence. Unfortunately, it didn't work on Ryan.

"Yes, you were. You were playing poker again, weren't you?" Ryan asked. It was more of a guess than anything, but he had obviously hit the right spot - Deirdre dropped the innocence-act, and tried a new strategy.

"Yes, but you *know* I'm good at it! We need the money, Ryan, remember?"

Ryan sighed.

"Listen, Dre, I appreciate the gesture, but could you please tell the rest of us if you're going gambling? We get worried if you just disappear, or get home several hours too late. It's dangerous out there, you know that." And she did - they all did. Most of them had grown up in a world that was tired and weary and dangerous - only Ryan and Kyle, the oldest of them, had more than vague memories of a time brighter than this. 

Deirdre sighed and looked away.

"I know. I'm sorry for making you worried," she said, then looked at him, and her face brightened a bit. "But I made 40 bucks today!"

Ryan fought back a smile, and shook his head.

She was incorrigible. 

***

"I can't move," Jhonen moaned.

Diana looked at the pitiful sight of her teammate, who lay on the couch with a pained expression on his face. 

"Well, you were the one who offered to help with the class," she pointed out, unable to resist the temptation.

"And I'll never do it again," he whimpered.

"I thought you were supposed to be big and strong, you know, being a boy and all," Diana teased good-natured, and sat down in a chair next to the couch, watching Jhonen with an amused expression.

"If there were any part of my body that I could move without unbearable pain, I'd hit you with it," Jhonen replied, not moving even an inch to get up from the couch. 

"Awwww...is poor, little Jhonen tired?"

Jhonen glared at her, but it didn't have the desire effect – Diana just grinned, and Jhonen sighed.

"I'll never understand what's so damn attractive about workout, anyway. The spirits feel the same way – they don't get it either," he said, referring to his ability to communicate with the spirit world. It had taken a while for the others to get used to - while they couldn't see or hear the spirits, it still felt strange to hear Jhonen talk about people who were long dead.

"They're dead, Jhonen. Of course they don't exercise," Diana replied with a small smile.

"You know, right now I wish I was, too," Jhonen sighed and closed his eyes, still with the suffering expression on his face.

Diana reached out and gave him a friendly pat on the knee. 

"Look at the bright side – hopefully, it'll be a while before Suzuka needs to demonstrate something on you again."

"With my luck...no. It won't."

Diana smiled.

"Poor baby. Is there anything you need?"

"Other than an IV and some anesthetics?" Jhonen replied, opening one eye to look at her.

Diana sent him a look that clearly said 'Nice try, but no way', and Jhonen smiled weakly. 

"Then maybe a couple of aspirins and some water?"

Diana smiled, and headed for the bathroom to find the painkillers for her teammate. 

***


	3. Fellow Citizens

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Italics indicates thoughts

***

Chapter Three: "Fellow Citizens..."

***

"Move over."

Aaron looked up from his comfortable place on the couch, and saw Zachary staring down at him. Most other people would probably have been more or less terrified at the annoyed look on Zach's face - the boy could look downright homicidal when he wanted to - but Aaron was not most other people, and he knew his teammate well enough not to fear him. 

"Sure," he hissed, his forked tongue swiping out to taste the air. He moved over, and Zach sat down.

"What're we watching?" 

Aaron shrugged, not even bothering to look at the TV.

"Some kung-fu movie. Hopelessly inaccurate, as Laetitia would say," he replied, his tongue turning the 's'-sounds into a hiss. 

Zach smiled wryly.

"Then it's a good thing that she's training with Blade right now."

Aaron ran a scaled hand through his blond hair, his movements deliberate and oddly graceful, much like those of the creatures he so resembled. 

"Training, training. We just got back from a mission. That girl needs to learn to relax."

"Don't say that to her face, though," Zach said, only half-joking. "You're a good guy, I'd hate to see you killed because you pissed off the wrong person."

"She can try. I'll just bite her," Aaron said, and let his tongue caress the two poison fangs in a loving manner. That was one of the things that set him apart from many of the other mutants with obvious mutations - Aaron saw no reason to wallow in self-pity. He'd gotten used to what he had become, and had come to accept it as a natural part of himself, even if his looks were rather unusual. 

"You're weird, you know that?" Zach commented.

"Who's weird?"

Both boys looked at the door and were greeted by the sight of two girls watching them curiously. The two made quite a contrast together, Pheonix being dark-skinned, and Hal being a born albino, but none of them really noticed it anymore.

"Just Viper here," Zach replied, nodding towards Aaron. "He's licking his fangs again."

"Aww, he's just hungry. Right, Aaron?" Hal joked good-natured and sat down in a chair next to the couch.

"Exactly," Aaron replied. "Did you get my sushi?"

"How could we forget?" Hal asked and pushed a paper box across the table. 

"Thanks, Hal."

"Here, Zach," Pheonix said and handed him a box that was identical to Aaron's. 

"Thanks, Fern. I owe you one," Zachary said and opened his box of noodles.

Pheonix just snorted and dumped down in a chair next to Hal. She grabbed her own food, then looked around. 

"Where's the rest of the gang?"

Zach shrugged.

"Still going at it in the training room, I guess," he replied and wolfed down another mouthful noodles. 

"I'll get 'em," Hal said. 

"HEY, GUYS! DINNER'S HERE!" she yelled. 

"My poor ears," Aaron complained, sending Hal a vaguely annoyed look. "Would it be too much trouble to actually get out of the chair next time?"

Hal just ginned.

"Did anyone mention the word food?" a female voice asked.

Hal turned around and smirked.

"Ha! I know that would get your attention, Jordane. Your dinner's on the table. Chicken with almonds, fried rice, noodles and extra sweet'n sour on 'em."

Jordane lit up at the sight of the food, and brushed a few strands of damp hair out of her face.

"Great!"

"Where're Blade and Laetitia?" Pheonix asked.

"Still training. They'll be out in a moment," Jordane replied and tore open the boxes like she hadn't eaten for days.

"We got any beers left from last Friday?" Zach asked.

Hal frowned.

"You're not old enough to drink."

"Neither are you," he retorted.

Hal rolled her eyes and tossed him a beer.

"I don't know why you like 'em so much, anyway. They taste disgusting."

Zach just smirked.

"Hey, would anyone mind if I changed the channel? This movie seriously sucks," Jordane said.

Aaron tossed her the remote. As they all knew, it wasn't wise to annoy a girl with a history of berserker rages.

"Knock yourself out, Melee."

Jordane caught the remote and changed the channel.

"Let's see...horror movie. Nope. Some Japanese cartoon...nope. A nature documentary about snakes. No thanks, we already got one. DIY channel..." 

"We don't build things, we destroy them," Zach corrected.

"Point taken. Some old movie without colors...I don't think so. The weather channel...nope. Music...sure, why not?" 

Jordane finally settled on a channel and tossed the remote back to Aaron, who easily caught it.

Pheonix wrinkled her nose.

"Pop-music? Couldn't you have found something that was a little better?" she asked.

"I have masochistic tendencies, didn't you know?" Jordane replied, not bothering to look up as she continued to wolf down her dinner.

"But you-"

Pheonix' word were cut short as the music-video ended abruptly and was replaced by an image of the Statue of Liberty, partly hidden by a seal that read 'the Atlantic States'.

"We interrupt this program to bring an important message," a cheery voice proclaimed.

The five mutants looked at each other, then at the TV.

What the hell was going on?

***

"Kyle, damnit! Give me that remote!" Diana complained, pouting quite deliberately, and finding that much to her annoyance, it didn't work. 

Kyle shook his head.

"Uh, uh. We are *not* going to watch whatever romance movie you and Deirdre have decided on."

"And what do you suggest instead?" Diana asked, reached for the remote again, and once again failing to grab it.

"Football," Ben said, and Kyle smirked.

"Ben! I thought you were supposed to be on *my* side!" Deirdre complained.

Ben just sent her an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, Dre, but I *am* male, you know. Sport is in our blood."

"And I thought you were such a nice boy when I first got here," Deirdre pouted. "Okay, how about we take a vote? Anyone for romance?"

She looked around, but only herself and Diana had raised their hands.

"Suzuka!" she complained. "You're a girl, you're supposed to be on our side!"

"I don't do chick-movies," Suzuka snapped.

Deirdre rolled her eyes.

"Okay. Whatever. Then football it is."

Ryan and Kyle exchanged a high-five and zapped their way to the Sports Network. They never found it, though – the normal programs where suddenly interrupted, and a seal with 'the Atlantic States' appeared on the screen.

The team exchanged a look, then turned their attention to the screen.

***

The seal disappeared and was replaced by the image of a middle-age man in a uniform. The man had a no-nonsense air around him, and the members of the Shadow Alliance recognized him immediately – General Adler, the man who had taken control of the American east coast some seven years earlier.

"Fellow citizens of the Atlantic States," General Adler began. "Few of you remember this, but ten years ago, at this exact date, the first mutant registration act was turned down. At that time, we lived in a world that was fundamentally different – mutants were rare, and our nation had yet to be split up by turmoil and destruction. At that time, we thought that we had no reason to fear mutants."

"BLADE! Come NOW!" Jordane yelled. 

Finally, Blade and Laetitia appeared the in the doorway, still wearing their training outfits.

"What's wrong, Melee?" Blade asked, his eyes immediately finding the girl - he knew that whatever had caused the girl to yell for them, it had to be important. 

Jordane just nodded at the TV, and Blade frowned slightly as the man on the screen continued his speech.

"Fellow citizens, I am sad to say that we were wrong. The number of mutants multiplied, and they started to show their true nature. Times have changed, and that is why I summoned the council to a special voting last night," the General continued.

Blade felt a shiver run down his spine. They couldn't be talking about...

"Oh, no," Laetitia said quietly, and suddenly, the future looked a lot worse than it had when they had woken up that morning. 

***

"Fellow citizens, I am sad to say that we were wrong. The number of mutants multiplied, and they started to show their true nature. Times have changed, and that is why I summoned the counsel to a special voting last night."

The microphones caught the murmur that rose from the journalists in the room, but the General held up his hand, and the room fell silent once more.

"Fellow citizens, it is with a feeling of profound relief – for you, for my family, for the future generations – that I can now announce that the mutant registration act is a reality. With an overwhelming support, it was passed last night, and even as we speak, mutant camps are being built at across the country." 

"Oh, God, no," Diana whispered. 

Kyle put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and Diana sent him a weak, but grateful, smile.

"Police and military have already started to bring in the most dangerous of the known mutants, and the streets of our cities are already safer than they were a week ago.

We hope that at this time next year, our children will once again be able to play on the sidewalks without fear, and that all mutants have been relocated to special towns and camps where they can use their abilities for something other than violence."

***

"The fucking bastards!" Jordane fumed. "They're not gonna 'make us use our powers for good', they're gonna kill us!"

"Easy, Melee, now's not the time. You'll get your chance later, but now is *not* the time," Blade said with as much confidence and authority as he could muster.

Jordane took a deep breath and fought back the rage that coursed through her veins.

"The fucking bastards," she repeated, this time with a lot less fury, and Blade let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

***

"Fellow citizens, this signalizes a new chapter in the history of our species. This is the beginning of a new era for Homo Sapiens – the era where we fought back, and once again became the dominant race of this world. This is the event that our children and grandchildren will read about, and they will say that this was the day that the future of this nation was brought back on track.

Good night, and may God bless us all," the General finished.

The recording ended and the Atlantic States' seal once again appeared on the screen.

"We'll now return to our regular program," the cheery voice proclaimed. 

Neither group of mutants noticed that, however. They were too shocked. Silence reigned as they tried to come to terms with what they'd just heard. 

And maybe by coincidence – or perhaps the irony of the Fates – Blade and Ryan thought the exact same thing at that moment.

__

We're fucked.

***


	4. Decisions

A/N: I'll have you know that yes, caffeine is indeed God, and that it's a necessary addiction to fanficcers everywhere.  
  
A/N: Remember, from now on I will only post on or two chapters a week. I wanted to get the beginning posted because I - for once - had a weekend without homework and hangovers ;). 'Sides, I wanted to get your attention *g* (do I hear cries of 'evil!' from the audience? Yes, of course I'm evil - I'm Sorcieré, I have a reputation to live up to ;)  
  
  
_..._ Indicates thoughts  
  
***  
  
Chapter Four: Decisions  
  
***  
  
"---The mutant riots following General Adler's announcement last night. Officials say that at least fifteen humans, and twenty-four mutants have been killed, and that hundreds more have been injured. It is recommended that citizens stay---" the reporter was cut off mid-sentence as Suzuka turned off the TV with a disgusted sneer.  
  
"They're blaming us. Go figure."  
  
"Humans fear what they don't understand. It's a law of nature," Kyle said.  
  
"I know," Suzuka sighed. "It's just...fuck. I mean, we've been living here for almost two years, and we've never hurt anyone! This isn't fair!"   
  
"No, it isn't. Most of the mutants in this town would probably prefer to live in quiet anonymity, but unfortunately, it's the more malicious ones that get the attention."  
  
"Like the Shadow Alliance," Ben said quietly.  
  
"To name one. There are more out there than just them," Kyle corrected.  
  
"Yeah," Ben sighed. He toyed absently with a lock of brown hair, then frowned slightly.  
  
"What do you think will happen?"  
  
Kyle shook his head. He had a pretty good idea of what happened when humans got too paranoid - in fact, he'd lost his parents and younger sister that way - but he had no desire to tell his teammates that. It would only make them anxious, and it wouldn't really help, anyway.   
  
"I don't know, Benji," he replied. "I honestly don't know."  
  
***  
  
Blade sighed and took another drink of his scotch. Most of his team was still asleep - he'd let them - no, ordered them - to sleep in. There was no doubt that they would need all the rest they could get.   
  
That left Blade alone to make a decision he did not want to face.   
  
Stay...or leave?   
  
It had been much simpler before he became the leader of this team, back when he was still on his own. Back then, he would have taken whatever money he had, bought a fake identity, complete with social security number, papers, and passport, and have taken the first flight out of the country. Maybe to southern Asia, or Africa. Those places had yet to suggest a mutant registration act.  
  
But now...now, things were a whole lot more complicated. He wasn't alone anymore - he had a team to take care of, six people who depended on him and his skills. He couldn't just leave them.  
On the other hand, he couldn't just get them fake passports and a ticket on the first flight to Taiwan, either - not all of them could pass as humans. Aaron, with his snake-like features, would be busted the moment they got anywhere near the airport. Hal would get her share of the attention, too, even though albinos weren't considered 'real' mutants.  
  
But they couldn't stay, that much was for certain. Nobody knew of the old warehouse that he and Jordane had turned into a suitable headquarter, but there was always the risk of discovery. One of their customers might track them down, or some random passerby might wonder why an abandoned building had so much security.   
Besides, it was more than likely that the city would go into hysteria and launch the mutie equivalent of a witch-hunt. Sooner or later, one of them would get caught, and that was a risk Blade couldn't afford to take.  
  
That left one choice - they would have to leave. Stay low and travel light. But whereto? Canada was out of the question, so was anything that required airplane or passenger-ships. That left Mexico as the nearest safe country.  
  
Blade sighed again and buried his head in his hands.  
  
It would be a long trip. Long and dangerous. But what choice did they have?  
  
Muffled sounds and fragments of whispered words reached him, and he knew that his team was finally up.  
  
He stood up and stretched, then headed for the main room. The moment he opened the door, six pairs of eyes looked questioningly at him, and he caught himself wondering how many of them would survive the next months.   
  
He dismissed the thought. Right now, the future would have to wait.  
  
"We're leaving," he announced. "Pack your things. We travel light, so bring only what's necessary. We'll leave at nightfall."  
  
The only reply was muted nods as the others headed for their respective rooms to pack.  
  
***  
  
"As I see it, we have two options: One, we stay. Or two, we leave," Ryan explained.  
  
The Guardians were gathered around the large table in the main room of the apartment. On the table itself lay various maps, some showing the major cities of the continent, others the tangled network of highways.  
  
"We can't just leave this place. We've worked so hard on it!" Diana protested.  
  
"What about the classes?" Suzuka added. "They have paid in advance, you know."  
  
"Then we'll have to cancel those classes, and give them a suitable refund," Ryan said. "Listen, I don't like this any more than you do, but right now, I don't think we have a choice."  
  
"I agree," Kyle said. "You all saw the news this morning - mutants and humans fighting in the streets are only the beginning. This whole city is on the verge of civil war. It's too dangerous to stay here."  
  
"What about transport?" Ben asked. "The van isn't big enough for all of us."  
  
"Then we'll have to steal one more," Deirdre said.  
  
"Seraphim-" Ryan began, but Deirdre interrupted him.  
  
"No, Ryan, we need the money for the trip. I don't like it either, but we don't have a choice."  
  
Ryan sighed. He knew she was right, but he still didn't like it. They were supposed to be the good guys, no some simple thieves.   
  
"Listen, if it makes you feel any better, look at it like payment for all the times we risked our necks by stopping some mutant baddie," Deirdre continued.  
  
"Alright," Ryan finally said. "But do it properly, okay? And remember-"  
  
"-Extra license plates," Deirdre finished. "I know."  
  
"But where do you suggest we go?" Jhonen asked. "Canada already has strict mutant laws, and we can't just take a plane or ship to Europe - it would be too dangerous if we were discovered."  
  
"Then we'll go south. Mexico, Panama, Guatemala...their governments don't care who goes into the country, as long as they get some profit out of it," Ryan explained.  
  
The room was silent for a long moment as each of them thought about the limited choices they had.  
  
"I don't know, but...I guess Mexico sounds best," Suzuka finally said.  
  
"If now, we can always travel further south," Diana added.   
  
"It would be a lot better than some mutant camp," Jhonen agreed.  
  
The rest nodded, and for the first time since the newscast the night before, Ryan smiled. He dug out one of the maps and placed it on the table.  
  
"We'll have to head into the country, then. The Southern States are not exactly tolerant when it comes to mutants, and the less time we spend there, the better," he explained.  
  
"We can travel to Chicago, then down to Oklahoma City," Diana suggested and traced the route with a finger.   
  
Kyle frowned.  
  
"I don't think Oklahoma City is a good idea," he commented. "I heard the FOH are setting up their Midwest headquarters there."  
  
"Kansas City and then San Angelo, then?" Jhonen suggested.   
  
Ryan studied the map for a moment, then shook his head.  
  
"Let's take it one day at a time. We'll head for Chicago first. Then we can get a feel of how things are further down south, before we decide how we continue. Any objections?"  
  
They rest of the Guardians shook their heads, and Ryan folded the map back together.  
  
"Then Chicago it is."  
  
***  
  
"And you are sure they were mutants?" a police officer asked and jotted something down in a dog-eared notebook.   
  
He already knew the answer: yes, it was a mutant. They'd already had dozens of reports that day, 0and the person who reported it was always absolutely certain that it was indeed a mutant.   
Never mind the fact that half the times they showed up at some supposed mutant-hideout, it turned out to be perfectly ordinary humans. God, he hated this job.  
  
"Yes, officer, there was no doubt. One of them had scales on his hands...no human has that," the man in front of him replied.  
  
The officer nodded, his attention now wholly at the man. Not only had this witness apparently discovered the location of a whole gang of mutants, it was also clear that one - and maybe more - of the muties were real genetic misfits. Scales? Disgusting.   
  
"Excellent. Thank you, sir, we will send a team right over," the officer said.  
  
The man nodded and got up, and the officer followed him out of the room. They stepped into the elevator, and the doors closed.  
  
"Oh, and one more thing, officer," the man said. "Those mutants are involved in something that's not...entirely legal, if you understand, and I would appreciate it if you 'forgot' to mention my name in the report," the man explained and handed an envelope to the police man, who quickly opened it and counted the money.  
  
"Of course, sir. There's no reason why we should need your name. I'll just attribute the discovery to a patriotic citizen, who wished to remain anonymous."  
  
They reached the floor, and the man got out.  
  
"Thank you," he said and left.  
  
The police officer pulled out his notebook.  
  
"Well, Mr. Cain, we never met each other," he mumbled and scratched the name.  
  
*** 


	5. With A Little Luck

A/N: I said I would update once or twice a week. I have the feeling that I had better clear things up a bit:   
I intend to post one (1) or two (2) new parts of the interactive fan fiction 'Journey through Hell' each week. For the sake of everyone, let us decide here and now that a week ranges from Saturday to the following Saturday. It is possible that more than two (2) parts will be posted each week, but due to homework, job, a life, and various obligations as a student in my last year of high school, it is not very likely. The only reason why more than two (2) parts were posted this week, is because I for once had a free weekend.  
We all clear? Eeeeeeeeeexcellent!   
  
'...' Indicates telepathy  
  
***  
  
Chapter Five: With a little luck...  
  
***  
  
"It's empty, sir," a policewoman reported, and officer Jonathan Shane sighed.  
  
He'd been certain that Cain told the truth, that this was indeed a mutie hide-out, but either the mutants were long gone, or Cain had lied.  
  
It was probably the former - Shane was willing to bet that this place was just a meeting-place of some sort, a place to buy or sell...whatever the muties were smuggling.  
  
Around him the rest of his unit were investigating the place, trying to find something - anything - that could lead them to the location of the mutant gang. A flicker of movement caught his eye, and he turned around. One of the younger officers hurried though the door, towards Shane, while waving with a piece of paper.  
  
"Sir? We found a witness - one of the guards. He claim that the muties bribed his colleagues to destroy the surveillance tapes, but he says that he remembers the license plates of the muties' car," the young officer said.   
  
"They probably bribed him, too," Shane mumbled, but dismissed the thought. They could deal with the corrupt guards later on. Right now they had some freaks to catch.  
  
"Did you run a check on the car?" he asked. The young man - hardly more than a boy - nodded.  
  
"Yes, sir. It belongs to some guy in Florida, but the interesting part is that the car's been seen at the same location at least four times - outside a supposedly abandoned warehouse, down by the harbor."  
  
Shane smiled slowly.  
  
Well, well. They might get to catch some mutants after all.  
  
***  
  
The silence in the two cars was so heavy that you could almost feel it - an uncomfortable blanket of sadness, disbelief, nervousness, and barely controlled anger.  
  
The Guardians had split up in two cars, but had decided to travel together. That way they would had the advantage of both powers and numbers if it came to a confrontation with the humans. Hopefully Ryan's telepathic abilities would be able to get them safely through most things, but there was always the risk that something would go wrong.  
  
Suzuka sat in the last of the cars, along with Jhonen and Kyle. She had grabbed the backseat in the hope that her teammates would get the hint and leave her alone. And so far they had, much to Suzuka's relief.   
  
Because right now, she wasn't in the mood for pointless conversations or speculations of the future. This whole situation reminded her too much of the events that took place during the martial arts tournament in Baltimore almost two years ago. She'd run away then, too. Run away from the people who'd seen her powers emerge, the people who'd seen her almost kill her opponent. She hadn't meant to, hadn't even known what was happening, but...it hadn't mattered. One minutes she had been fighting, and the next...the next she had found herself staring at the near-lifeless body of her opponent, scarred by numerous, deep claw-marks.   
  
So she ran. She left the town and lay low, and tried to make a living by taking on the occasional odd job.   
  
But there was one major difference between then and the situation she now found herself in - back then, it had been her fault. This time - this time, they had done nothing wrong. They had tried to protect the people in their neighborhood, tried to protect the innocents from the mutants who preferred to use their powers for evil...and yet they still had to run like they were nothing but common criminals.  
  
It was things like this that almost - *almost* - made her understand why the Shadow Alliance acted like they did. But just almost.   
  
Suzuka sighed and closed her eyes. This was going to be a long trip.   
  
***  
  
Laetitia opened a bag and emptied it on her bad. Three or four small guns, extra ammunition, a couple of knives, a pair of binoculars, and a few holsters tumbled out and landed in a heap on the black sheet, and Laetitia spread them out to get a better look.   
  
On the other side of the bed, Pheonix followed Laetitia's movements, the slightly suspicious look in her eyes hidden by the ever-present pair of blue sunglasses. Since her brother's death when she was fifteen, she had hated weapons, and never really trusted anyone who carried one.   
  
"Pick one," Laetitia said coldly.  
  
Pheonix glared at her.  
  
"I don't like guns, Nike. I thought you knew that."  
  
"Get over it," Laetitia ordered, and her voice had a harder edge this time. "Now pick one!"  
  
"Why?" Pheonix asked defiantly. "I have the power to control water. I don't need a gun to defend myself."  
  
"Because the moment we leave this place, you won't always have water nearby. Pick a weapon, little girl...*now*."  
  
Pheonix' eyes flared at the 'little girl' comment, but she bit back her sarcastic retort. The rational part of her mind knew that Laetitia was right - they would pass through a lot of dry areas, and it wasn't wise to travel through the continent unarmed. On the other hand...on the other hand her brother had been killed by a gunshot. The kind of weapon Laetitia offered her now had brought her nothing but loss and suffering.   
  
She couldn't betray her brother's memory this way. She couldn't...but she didn't have a choice. They had all been trained by Blade and Laetitia to use a gun...maybe it was time to finally use that training for something.  
  
Pheonix reached out and took the smallest of the guns, and Laetitia send her a rare smile - or at least what could be called 'smiling' where the Greek assassin was concerned.   
  
Pheonix smiled back, a weak, thin smile, and tried to ignore the whispered, accusing words of a long-gone brother.  
  
***  
  
Ryan should have known.   
  
It had been too easy so far. They hadn't been stopped by anyone, they hadn't had any trouble whatsoever...of course they were overdue for some bad luck. The first hint had been the strong feeling of frustration, annoyance, and fear somewhere on the other side of the large hill they were driving on...namely at the point where three of the highways met and marked the beginning of the relatively new super-highway that lead to Chicago. Then he'd tried to pinpoint the cause of these emotions, only to regret it the moment he found his answer.  
  
'Kyle', he sent to the driver of the other car.  
  
'Yeah?' Kyle replied.   
  
'Trouble ahead. A checkpoint.'  
  
In the other car, Kyle frowned. A checkpoint?   
  
'What's the problem? Can't you just convince the police to let us through?'  
  
'I'm not sure, Kyle. I'm afraid the government means business.'   
  
Kyle wanted to ask what on earth Ryan was talking about, but he didn't get around to doing that. At that moment they reached the top of the hill and had a clear view of the area ahead of them...and finally Kyle saw what had made Ryan so worried.  
  
The Chicago super-highway was completely blocked - police-cars and roadblocks made sure that only humans were allowed to continue. Hundreds of cars filled the road, all waiting to be checked by the many government workers and police officers who all kept a close eye on things.  
  
In the other car, Ryan felt a shiver down his spine.  
  
Murphy's Law had struck again.  
  
***  
  
Blade tossed a heavy bag on the floor, then placed two shotguns on the table.   
  
"Nike, Hal," he said, and the two nodded. Sniper rifles wouldn't be of much use in a gunfight, so they had to exchange them for something a little...heavier.  
  
Blade looked at his six teammates.  
  
"We all ready?"  
  
A chorus of 'yes' followed his words, and Blade nodded.  
  
"Well, ladies and gentlemen...let's leave this dump."  
  
***  
  
Outside the warehouse, at the front gate, a group of black-clad men appeared from the shadows. One of them made a signal with his hand, and one of the others placed a chunk of C-4 on the solid gate. With quick, precise movements, the man put a detonator on the explosives and activated it.  
  
The group dived for cover and waited for ten seemingly endless seconds.  
  
***  
  
A blast tore though the air, and Blade spun around, instinctively reaching for his gun. Laetitia and Hal grabbed the shotguns on the table  
  
"What the fuck is going on?" Pheonix demanded.  
  
But before anyone could answer, the door was kicked in, and a large group of black-clad figures ran into the room.  
  
"NYPD! Freeze!" someone yelled.   
  
And suddenly all Hell broke loose.  
  
*** 


	6. And All the Walls Came Tumbling Down

A/N: To everyone who've reviewed the fic: Thank you, dudes and dudettes – it's better than caffeine ;). To the rest of you: Feed the monkey, damnit! Feed the monkey! *g* 

A/N 2 - the author's notes strike back: At the end of this chapter, there are some notes regarding the fic. Don't forget to read them :) (they are for readers as well as people with characters in this little fic – and no, it's not bad news *g*)

'...' Indicates telepathy

_..._ Indicates thoughts

***

Chapter Six: ...And All the Walls Came Tumbling Down.

***

Zach reacted instinctively and dived for cover behind a pillar of concrete, one of the many that supported the roof of the warehouse. The sharp pain as he landed on the floor was dulled by the adrenaline that rushed through his body. 

A bullet hit the concrete next to him, and Zach ducked, just in time to avoid the next bullet.

"Zach!"

Zach spun around, just in time to see the blackclad man behind him. The cop was fast, no doubt about that, but he was fragments of a second too slow. Zach pulled the trigger and watched with an almost morbid fascination as the policeman fell to the floor.

"Zach! Come on!" 

This time he recognized the voice – Pheonix. She was waving for him to get out of the line of fire, and find some other and better place to take cover. She was hidden by two other pillars, but she wouldn't remain safe for long – using the chaos as a cover, three cops were quickly making their way towards her.

And she couldn't see them coming, Zach realized. Fuck! He had to take them down.

Zach raised his gun. Just a bit further...just a little bit further...and they would be directly within his aim.

He ignored the shots and chaos around him, took a tight grip on his gun...

...And felt a renewed rush of adrenaline as a bullet zipped past his right ear. He spun around, just in time to see a cop sink to the floor, hit right between the eyes. He looked at the direction of the shot, and saw Laetitia lower the smaller of her guns. He sent her a grateful look, and she nodded slightly in return, before grabbing her shotgun again, and taking down one of the cops that was closing in on Pheonix.

Zach raised his gun and took down the other two attackers, barely pausing to reload. He quickly scanned the area for any possible danger...and only then did he notice the unnatural silence of the room. 

No gunshots, no shouting, not even the sound of shoes against a concrete floor. Zach gripped his gun tighter. He could see Blade and Jordane hiding behind the sad remains of a wall, Laetitia had found cover behind the same pillar as Pheonix, and Hal and Aaron were crouching behind a metal-table, looking just as anxious as he felt. 

But there were no cops anywhere. Something was seriously wrong.

How many? Zach mouthed. Laetitia held up six fingers, then frowned and shrugged. Zach nodded. At least six, then. Great. Just great. They were probably trying to find a place that was easier to shoot from – or maybe they were just waiting for one of them to stick their head out. 

He had to do something, and fast.

An idea occurred to him, and he smiled maliciously. Maybe it was time to show the flatscans just why they should fear homo superior. 

He motioned for Laetitia to get Pheonix' attention. The Greek nudged the younger girl, who spun around and glared at her older teammate. Laetitia just nodded towards Zach. 

Pheonix sent him a questioningly look, and Zach mouthed the word 'water'. Pheonix frowned, and Zach sighed.

"Water," he half-whispered, and desperately hoped that the humans would be too stupid to figure out what he meant. 

Pheonix' eyes lit up, and she sent him a grin that rivaled his own. She then closed her eyes, and frowned in deep concentration. 

The first hint that something was happening, was the sound of waves hammering against the dock next to the warehouse. At first the sound was almost inaudibly, but it quickly increased, until it reached the point where it sounded like they were in the middle of a hurricane.

Zach knew that it didn't take Pheonix this long to gather the necessary strength – she was just playing with her prey, much like a cat would play with an already doomed mouse. Zach watched her carefully, waiting for his cue. She would grow tired of the game soon, and then it would be his turn. 

Finally she gave in. A wall of murky, gray water burst through the door, sweeping across the room, and soaking everyone who was too slow to get out of the way – including the remaining police officers.

The Shadow Alliance reacted instantly, moving to higher grounds to avoid the water. They quickly retreated to the first floor, before the cops had the chance to realize what was happening.

Once in safety, Zach took a good look at the indoor flooding Pheonix had caused, and noticed with a certain satisfaction that it covered the entire floor. He looked at Blade, who nodded in reply to the unspoken question.

Zach smiled grimly. What he was about to do wasn't very honorable, but then again...neither was the ambush they had just experienced. 

He concentrated and felt the small ripples of energy underneath his skin. His hands started to tingle and emit a pale, blue light. Zach felt the energy fill his veins and caress his muscles, but the pleasure was replaced by a stinging pain as he continued to build up energy. It felt like a myriad of needles, piercing his skin, but he ignored it until he reached a point where his hands were aching, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before the scorch-marks would show on his pale skin.

Zach opened his hand and watched as a glowing ball of pure energy manifested in the air. Not one to be outdone, he flung the ball away with a dramatic motion, not even bothering to aim. 

He didn't have to - the policemen were still standing in the ankle-deep water. The glowing sphere of energy flew through the air and hit the water. The sudden, blinding light from the explosion forced Zach to covers his eyes. The light slowly faded, and he blinked rapidly to clear his head.

Blade stepped closer to the edge and looked down. On the floor beneath them lay six bodies – most likely dead, judging from the burns on the ones closest to the explosion. And if the blast didn't get them, the electricity itself certainly would have. 

Blade sent the bodies a disinterested look, then looked at his teammates. 

"Let's go," he said.

Nobody objected.

***

"Ryan," Diana said worried. "The road..."

"I know," Ryan replied, and tried to keep the anxiety from his voice. "I know."

In the rearview mirror, he saw Diana turn around to look at the cars behind them.

"It's too late to turn around now. Wouldn't it be a good idea to pull over and take a look at things before we continue?" she asked.

One part of Ryan's mind knew she was right – the best thing to do would be to pull over and discuss things before they continued. The other part was way past logical thinking, and was now moving into paranoia territory. Two cars, both full of teenagers, who 'just happened' to stop right before a mutant checkpoint...someone was bound to get suspicious. 

They couldn't go back – there was no way to get to the lanes that ran in the opposite direction. The only thing they could do was to stay where they were, and pray that they would get through safely. 

But then again...when had God ever listened to mutants?

***

Once they were out in the open and had checked the perimeter, Blade started to give orders. It was only a matter of time before reinforcements showed up, so they had to get out of there as fast as possible.

"Pheonix, Laetitia, Aaron, Hal, you'll take the 'rover. Zach, you're with Jordane and me. We'll split up, and rendezvous in the motel in Pittsburgh in three days. You all have the address, you shouldn't have any trouble finding it. Any questions?" he asked.

The rest of the group shook their heads and quietly headed for their respective cars with their luggage.

***

Ryan's car slowly found its place in the line, followed by Kyle's. Judging from the at least fifty cars in front of them, this could take some time. 

_Okay, a lot of time,_ Ryan thought with a sigh. 

He killed the engine and leaned back. Oddly, he wasn't nervous. He probably should have been – they were surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands, of human who would like nothing more than to see his kind in prison camps. Okay, to be fair, it wasn't all the humans who wanted to see the mutants disappear, but those in high places did, and that was all that mattered. 

Oh, well. Maybe he was getting immune to nervousness. 

Yeah, right. It would probably show up the moment the guards reached their car, and with his luck, it would bring along a few of its cousins. 

"I hope you know what we're doing," Diana mumbled from the backseat. 

Ryan closed his eyes briefly.

"So do I," he whispered. "So do I."

He took a moment to gather his thoughts, before addressing the others.

"Ben, when we get closer to the checkpoint, you'll have to drive. With all these people around, even the most basic manipulations of the mind will require all my attention, so I won't be able to focus on driving, too."

"Got it," Ben said.

"Diana, when the officers show up, do you think you'll be able to influence their feeling? Maybe make them more understanding or trusting?" he continued.

Diana frowned slightly.

"If I have some time to prepare for it...yeah, I think so. At least for a short while, anyway."

Ryan nodded.

"Good. I'll notify the others."

He leaned back once more and let his mind seek out Kyle's calm, controlled presence.

'Kyle.'

'Hey, Ryan. So, what's the plan?' Kyle replied.

'When we get closer to the checkpoint, I'll leave the driving to Ben. I'll have to control a lot of minds, and won't be easy.'

'So we'll go for the one option that's so dangerous and stupid, that we'll have to rely on pure, dumb luck to get us through?'

'If you put it that way...well, yes.'

Ryan could almost heard Kyle sigh, and smiled. Kyle might not be a very loud person, but he was good to have by your side in a fight.

'Whatever you says, boss. But we'll need a *lot* of luck to get out of this one,' Kyle replied.

'Don't remind me.'

***

In the other car, Kyle opened his eyes. 

Okay, so they were going with the most stupid, risky, and dangerous idea they had been able to come up with...he could accept that. After all, Ryan was a competent leader – if anyone could get them out of there, it would be him.

But there was always the risk that something could go wrong. And if that happened, there was no sense in all of them getting caught – especially not when one of them could easily cross the roadblocks undetected. 

Kyle turned around to look at Suzuka, who was still looking out the window with a slightly bored expression on her face.

"Suzuka." 

The girl looked at him.

"Yeah?"

"We'll be going with the direct approach. Drive into the lion's den and hope that Ryan is strong enough to get us safely through."

He paused, giving Suzuka a chance to think about what he'd just said.

"You can leave now, you know. Transform into some animal, and meet us on the other side of the checkpoint. None of us would blame you if you did," Kyle said.

Suzuka looked at him, and knew that he was right. If she *did* use her powers to get past the police, there wouldn't be any hard feelings. They would all understand. They would all forgive her...but she would not.

"Thanks for the offer, Kyle...but I'm staying with you guys. I'm done running," she replied, more determined than she'd felt for a long time.

In the driver's seat, Kyle smiled. Maybe things weren't quite as hopeless as he'd feared.

***

Some notes:

1: From this chapter and onwards, I'm accepting suggestions for pairings. I can't guarantee that all of the pairings will show up, but some of them will :) (The only one that's certain for now is Blade/Jordane (if no one objects, that is) and that's because I'll need them later on to introduce a new character *he, he*)

2: Those of you who have a picture/drawing/etc. of your character, please mail it to the address below – it would be a big help :). If you don't have one, this page (http://ver.rubberhouse.net/drags.html) has a bunch of links to cartoon doll creators. Don't forget to write something in the subject line – 'character picture' or whatever. I delete any mail that has an attachment, but nothing in the subject line. 

3: I think it's time to make the fic interactive, and not just a 'I'll Put In Your Characters'-fic. If you have any suggestions/ideas/plotbunnies that you'd like to see in the fic, mail them to d.angelino@caramail.com and I'll take a look at them. If your suggestion gets picked, you will, of course, be credited :)

So mail away. I promise I won't bite...hard ;)


	7. Escapes and Old Enemies

A/N: As in the previous chapter - ideas, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to d.angelino@caramail.com (oh, the joys of multiple e-mail accounts ;)

A/N 2: Hmm...this chapter became a big longer than I expected. Oh, well.

'...' Indicates telepathy

/.../ Indicates Hal's visions of parallel timeline and Laetitia's manipulation of dreams

***

Chapter Seven: Escapes and old Enemies

***

Ben adjusted his seatbelt and looked at Ryan. They had switched places, and now Ryan was sitting in the passenger's seat with his eyes closed. He had a calm expression on his face, an expression which Ben knew was a sure sign that Ryan was preparing for some heavy use of his powers. 

"Ryan? Are you sure you're up to this?" Ben asked.

"No. But we don't have much of a choice, do we?" the other replied, without opening his eyes. 

Ben shook his head. The car in front of them was finally allowed to pass, and now the guards motioned for Ben to come closer.

"Ready or not," he mumbled.

They drove closer to the guards, and then Ben killed the engine and stepped outside. In the backseat, Diana and Deirdre exchanged a brief, worried look.

Two of the guards sent the passengers a quick look before focusing on Ben.

"Good afternoon, sir. Do you and your passengers have a genetic ID card?"

The words were said with an unusual politeness, but none of the four mutants missed the groups of heavily armed soldiers nearby

"Sure," Ben replied. He handed the guards four normal ID cards, and sent a silent prayer to whatever god who might be listening that Ryan would be able to pull this off. 

The first of the guards checked the cards and inside the car, Ryan frowned in concentration.

'The cards are okay. We are humans. Let us pass...let us pass.' 

The guard shook his head, and ran a hand through his short hair.

'Let us pass.'

"It looks like everything is in order, sir," he finally said and returned the cards to Ben. "Good thing you had those cards, otherwise we'd have to take a blood sample before we could let you pass."

"Yeah...good thing we did," Ben mumbled. 

"You can pass now, sir. Have a nice trip," the second guard said.

Ben nodded in response and got in the car again. Ryan took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

"Let's go. We'll wait for the rest on the other side," he said tiredly.

A bit away, one of the soldiers frowned.

"Captain? Did you see how the guards acted?" he said.

The captain looked at the guards, then at the car. The first of the guards rubbed his temples, and the captain's eyes narrowed.

"Typical reaction to telepathy. Good job, soldier."

He grabbed his radio.

"This is unit seven. We have a possible telepath, and we will need reinforcements."

"Got that, unit seven," a voice replied. "Reinforcements are on their way."

The captain motioned to his men, and they quickly made their way to Ryan's car.

"Kyle. Look at the soldiers," Jhonen said. "They're heading for the others."

"It could be coincidental. It doesn't have to mean anything," Kyle said, but they all knew that he was lying.

"Ryan!" Diana warned.

"I've seen them," 

"Can you...?" Ben asked, but trailed off.

Ryan shook his head.

"No. They know that we're mutants, and they've called for backup. We have to do this the hard way. Seraphim-"

Deirdre snapped to attention.

"Yeah?"

"Stall them. Blind them. Do whatever it takes to slow them down long enough for us to get through. I can stun some of them, but I don't have enough strength right now to stop them all. I'll warn the others."

Deirdre nodded, and Ryan quickly found Kyle's calm presence in the car behind them.

'Kyle, get ready. Trouble ahead.'

'We've seen them. Backup-plan?'

'We'll incapacitate them and drive through the gate. If we miss any of them, make sure that they don't get the chance to hit us.'

'Got you. Rendezvous in Johnstown in two days – the Bluebird Motel, maybe? It's in the outskirts of the town.'

'Then Johnstown it is. Good luck.'

'You too.'

Ryan broke the connection and focused on his teammates.

"Seraphim – I'll take the soldiers in front of us. You handle the back up and the guards. Kyle will do his best to stop the bullets if we fuck up. You ready?" 

Seraphim nodded, and the others closed their eyes tightly to protect them from the light they knew would come. Ryan took a moment to gather the rest of his strength.

"Now!"

The five soldiers in front of them never knew what hit them – one moment they were heading towards the car, the next they lay unconscious on the ground as a result of Ryan's mind bolts. 

Their fellow soldiers, however, were not so lucky. 

A blinding light engulfed the area around the car as Deirdre unleashed her power. The soldiers screamed and tried to cover their eyes, but it was too late. Deirdre's eyes narrowed and the light grew even stronger. She waited for a few moments, and then made the light disappear as quickly as it had come.

"Go!" Ryan almost shouted, but Ben was already speeding away from the checkpoint. Behind them, Kyle followed. Ryan could feel the darkness claw at the edges of his mind as the exhaustion set in, but he couldn't relax – not yet.

"Rendezvous at the Bluebird Motel, Johnstown, in two days," he told Ben, who just nodded in return.

'Good luck, Kyle.'

'You too.'

Ryan felt the darkness return with renewed strength, and this time he didn't fight it. With an unseen smile, he welcomed the oblivion and fell unconscious. 

The two cars separated at the first intersection and sped away, leaving nothing but confusion behind.

***

Back with the Shadow Alliance, things were a bit better...but not much. Now that they were finally out of danger – at least for the time being – Zach felt the exhaustion set in, as the adrenaline-rush slowly faded away. The pain he had been able to ignore during the battle now returned with renewed strength, and his weakened state did nothing to help matters. 

His left arm – the one he'd landed on when he threw himself on the floor – had gotten the worst of the injuries, as far as Zach could tell. He felt a constant, dull throbbing in the arm, and he knew that the black and blue bruises would soon be visible. The large transfer of energy had weakened him, too, and it felt like his arms and legs were made out of clay – heavy and clumsy to move. 

Zach leaned against the window and let the deep, constant hum of the engine lull him into a dreamless sleep.

***

"He's asleep," Jordane noted some minutes later when she checked on Zach. "Poor kid must be exhausted."

"Too much excitement in one day. Happens to all of us," Blade replied, never taking his eyes off the road.

"He's just a kid."

This time Blade did look at her briefly.

"We're mutants," he corrected. "We're not allowed to be kids."

Jordane didn't reply, and the two fell silent once again. Out of the corner of his eye, Blade saw Jordane play absently with one of her knives, followed by a slightly absent look on her face. Damn.

"Melee," he said, trying to pull her out of her semi-trance. 

"Yeah?" Jordane looked at him, but didn't stop toying with the knife.

"I just...wanted to tell you that I'm impressed that you didn't lose control in the fight," Blade replied, saying the first thing he could think off. He knew from experience that it wasn't smart to let Jordane brood when she was like this, and that he had to do something before things escalated. 

"Thank you" Jordane mumbled, and returned to her trance-like state.

"Melee..." Blade tried, but was interrupted by the girl in question.

"I can feel it building up...the rage. All those emotions I couldn't let loose when we fought...they're growing," she whispered and looked at her knife with morbid fascination.

"Jordane! Control it!" Blade snapped. What Jordane did when she was alone in the bathroom wasn't any of Blade's business, but in this case that 'no-see-no-tell' policy was something they couldn't afford. If they were stopped – or even worse, searched – any knife-wounds on Jordane's arms would attract attention, and that was the last thing they wanted.

At least, that was what Blade has explained to Jordane on several occasions. It was true, but it wasn't the only reason. The other reason was rather unusual for Blade – he didn't like to see his second in command get hurt. Him, Blade, cold-hearted mercenary and natural born killer. He could kill another human being without blinking, but the thought of cold, sharp steel against Jordane's wrists...he didn't like it one bit. 

But he had no right to intervene with her life, and so the second reason remained a secret.

"I can't," Jordane whispered.

"You have to, or you could get us all killed," Blade replied coldly. Despite Jordane's cocky – even careless – attitude, he knew that she wouldn't do anything that could endanger her teammates.

Or at least he hoped so.

Jordane just sighed, and looked out the window with a tired expression. But she did put her knife away.

***

"Fuck!"

Pheonix' loud curse pulled Hal and Aaron out of their peaceful naps and they sent her a confused look.

"What's wrong?" Hal mumbled, still not completely aware of her surroundings.

"A checkpoint," Laetitia said from her place behind the steering wheel.

"What?!" Aaron said, suddenly fully awake. "A checkpoint – here? But we're in the middle of goddamn nowhere!"

"Well, tell that to the government goons," Pheonix snapped. 

"Quiet!" Laetitia ordered. She didn't have to raise her voice – when Nike spoke, people listened. 

"I can use my powers to convince a guard to let us through, but Hal, you'll have to find out which one of them is the best to do it on," she explained.

"Okay...okay, I can do that," Hal said and nodded. She hated using her power, they all knew that, but in this case, she didn't have a choice.

Hal took a deep breath and focused on the guards. She closed her eyes - and was instantly trapped in a maelstrom of images.

/-"Stop the muties! They're getting away!"-/

/-Guards running; gunfire; a car – their car – exploding; burning fuel covering the road; her skin burning; hot, too hot-/

/-"Let's get the fuck out of here! We have to go, NOW!"-/

/-"Yes, everything seems to be in order, ma'am. Carry on."-/

Hal gasped as she finally found what she was looking for – a timeline that wouldn't get them killed.

The others looked at her anxiously. 

"Over there," she whispered, out of breath. "The guard at the second gate."

Laetitia nodded.

"Good job."

Hal didn't reply, but just curled up in her large jacket, and tried to forget what she'd just seen. Aaron gave her leg a comforting squeeze, before putting on his jacket and cap to hide his scales.

Because of the remoteness of the checkpoint, there were few cars, and it took only a few minutes before they reached the gate.

"Good evening, ma'am. May I see your genetic ID card?" the guard asked.

"Sure," Laetitia replied, and focused completely on the guard's mind. 

"Wh-" the guard started, but was asleep before he could finish even the first word.

/You see our genetic ID cards – all four of them. We are not mutants. We do not come from a family of mutants. We are pure humans. You allow us to pass/

The guard opened his eyes and blinked.

"Yes, everything seems to be in order, ma'am. Carry on."

"Thank you," Laetitia replied.

They drove past the checkpoint, and Pheonix grinned.

"That idiot didn't stand a chance."

***

"How is he?" Ben asked.

Diana reached out and stroked Ryan's hair gently.

"Still out cold. But he should wake up soon...I've never seen him be out for more than an hour after a fight."

Ben nodded.

"We should find some place to spend the night...a small motel or something. Where are we, anyway?"

Deirdre checked the map.

"We've just passed some town called Reading."

Ben sent her a look in the rearview mirror that clearly said 'good one, try again.'

"I'm not kidding!" Deirdre protested. "It really *is* called Reading! Anyway...we're still a bit away from Johnstown, but we can easily get there tomorrow."

Ben nodded.

"I just saw a motel-sign. We can spend the night there, and leave early tomorrow, just to be safe."

The other two nodded, and Ben followed the small road that led to the motel.

"Where are we?" Ryan mumbled, still half asleep.

"Finding a motel," Diana whispered. "Go back to sleep. We're safe here."

"No...no," Ryan protested and shook his head. "I can sleep when we get there," he added, and rubbed his eyes.

Ben finally reached the motel, and stopped the car.

"How do you feel, oh powerful leader?" he asked.

"Like someone hit me in the head with an eighteen-wheeler," Ryan confessed. "Let's find a room."

Ben and Diana just shook their heads, and Deirdre mumbled something about stupid, stubborn men.

***

"And they call *us* a danger to society?" Jordane commented and looked at the small checkpoint they had just passed. "They're more corrupt than most of the politicians in the counsel."

"That's why I picked one of the smaller roads," Blade explained. "They don't accept bribes on the superhighway – too many witnesses – but on the less traveled roads..."

"But one grand?" Zach commented, by now finally awake.

Blade shrugged.

"It's easier than to fight our way through," he replied. "Now shut up and help me find a motel."

"How about that one?" Jordane suggested.

"'Reading Inn'?" Blade asked disbelieving. "These people lack imagination."

***

Deirdre closed the door and tossed the license plates on the couch. 

"I've changed the plates. We can get rid of the old ones tomorrow," she said.

"Great," Ryan commented. He was lying on one of the beds, waiting for the painkillers to kick in and get rid of the headache. 

Diana smiled.

"Poor Ryan. Why don't Dre, Ben, and I go for a walk, and you can get some sleep?"

"You don't have to do that," Ryan protested.

"No arguments," Diana said. "I'm your second in command, and I order you to get some rest."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am," Ryan replied, already half asleep.

Diana put one of the blankets over him, and followed her teammates out of the door.

"What a day," she said and sighed.

Deirdre laughed.

"And with our luck, it isn't over yet."

***

"Not the best room I've seen, but it'll have to do," Blade decided. 

Jordane and Zach tossed their bags on their respective beds and took a look around. It wasn't a luxurious room, but it did have the basics – beds, bathroom, and a shower.

Jordane sat down heavily on her bed and yawned.

"Tired?" Zach commented.

"Duh," Jordane mumbled. Then she suddenly seemed to remember something.

"What about food? I'm hungry."

Blade snorted.

"You're *always* hungry," he reminded her.

"Can't help it – it's part of my mutation," she replied and tossed with her hair in mock arrogance.

Blade rolled his eyes, and Zach choked a grin. A comfortable silence filled the room, and the three enjoyed their first peaceful moment since they had been attacked.

"...A day," someone said outside their door. 

"And with our luck, it isn't over yet," someone laughed.

"What the fuck?!" Zach exclaimed and hurried to the door. "I know those voices – it's the Guardians!"

Blade and Jordane exchanged a look, and followed Zach, their tiredness suddenly forgotten.

***

Diana heard the door behind them open, and she turned around.

"Oh, my God," she said.

That got Deirdre and Ben's attention. They turned around, and felt their jaws hit the floor.

"Ryan! RYAN!" Diana shouted. Next to her, Deirdre had already created a globe of light in her hand, while Ben had taken a defensive stance.

Somehow Ryan managed to get out of the bed, and gather enough strength to open the door. He staggered into the hallway...

...And found himself standing face-to-face with Blade.

***


	8. Oh, What a Tangled Web We Weave, part I

A/N 1: I hadn't planned to post this until sometime next week, but my muse was on a roll, so...  
  
A/N 2: As in the previous chapters - ideas, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to d.angelino@caramail.com (oh, the joys of multiple e-mail accounts ;)  
  
A/N 3: I'll start to introduce some new characters in the next chapters - just thought I'd warn you ;). This part will focus on Ryan and Blade, and their respective groups, while the next will focus on Kyle and Laetitia, and their groups. It was better to split this chapter up in two parts, otherwise it would probably get too confusing.  
  
In response to what the teams have against each other - I hope to clear that up a bit in this chapter, and those that follow. And create some confusion now I'm at it *he, he*  
  
'...' Indicates telepathy  
_..._ Indicates thoughts  
  
***  
  
Chapter Eight: Oh, What A Tangled Web We Weave, part I  
  
***  
  
To Ryan's credit, he didn't waste any time staring dumbfounded at Blade. Thanks to years of training, he immediately took a defensive stance, and quickly analyzed his opponent - or opponents in this case.  
  
Sure, they had the advantage of numbers - four against three - but the Shadow Alliance had their ruthlessness working for them. Besides, Ben and Diana's powers weren't very useful in a battle.   
  
_Fuck._  
  
Blade and Ryan slowly circled each other, neither letting their guards down even for a second.   
  
"Cretes. We meet again."   
  
"Unfortunately," Ryan replied coldly.   
  
Blade smirked, and without warning he lashed out at Ryan. He was fast, faster than most human fighters, but Ryan quickly ducked and parried the blow. The two men took a step back, both reassessing their opponent.   
  
"You've gotten better," Blade admitted.  
  
"So have you," Ryan replied. "Been killing a lot of people recently?" he asked acidly.  
  
"Cute," Blade smirked. "Too bad it's all in your mouth."  
  
Up until that point, the two teams had followed the fight from the sideline. So far they had settled with exchanging dirty looks, but Blade's comment made Diana's temper flare.  
  
"How brave - picking on a wounded man," she scorned.   
  
"Pandora, stay out of this!" Ryan snapped, his eyes never leaving Blade.  
  
"Oh, don't worry, little girl. He can defend himself. Never afraid to use a mind trick, are you, Cretes?" Blade remarked acidly.  
  
Ryan didn't reply, but kept circling Blade.   
  
***  
  
With all of them absorbed in the fight, no one noticed the man who watched the two groups from a nearby window. He noticed the light hovering above Deirdre's hand and sank.  
  
"Jenny! Call the police! We have mutants on our ground," he said.  
  
His wife sent him a horrified look.  
  
"Mutants? But-"  
  
"Just call the police!" the man snapped.  
  
His wife hurried out of the room, and the man stepped away from the window. To tell the truth, he had nothing against mutants as long as they left him and his family alone, but the government had offered a reward for each mutant that was turned in...and they were very generous.  
  
***  
  
Deirdre exchanged a worried look with Diana and Ben. With the condition Ryan was in, it was doubtful that he would win the fight...which meant that they had to do something before things escalated.   
  
Deirdre tore her eyes away from the tense scene before her, and focused on the two other members of the Shadow Alliance instead. Being the most recent addition to the Guardians, Deirdre wasn't too familiar with the members of the Shadow Alliance, but she *did* know enough to recognize them.  
The blue and green haired woman was Melee, Blade's second in command and rumored lover. Well, with a hair color as crazy as that, she had to be. She was also a person you didn't want to piss off, so Deirdre quickly dropped any plans involving Melee. That left the boy. He was young - couldn't be more than a few years older than Deirdre herself - but he looked like he would kill anyone who got too close to him.   
  
"Who's the boy?" Deirdre whispered.  
  
"Blitz," Diana replied in the same low voice. Then she noticed Deirdre's speculative look. "Don't even think about it! He can control electricity - he's dangerous!" Diana hissed.  
  
Deirdre didn't reply, and Diana sent her a stern look before turning her attention to Blade and Ryan again.  
  
_He's dangerous?_ Deirdre thought. _Well, so am I!_   
  
She looked at the boy - Blitz - again. Sure, he looked more than a bit homicidal, but with his shaggy, brown hair, and *very* nice body... he was actually kind of cute.  
  
_Oh, no! Don't even go there, girl!_ Deirdre berated herself. _He's the enemy!_  
  
She shook her head, and intensified the light in her palm. Dangerous or not, she had to do something to help Ryan - she couldn't just watch and do nothing.  
  
Deirdre took a step towards Blitz. The boy spun around immediately, and in the blink of an eye, he was aiming a ball of electricity at her.  
  
"NO!"   
  
The order came from both Ryan and Blade, although neither had dared to look away from the other.  
  
Blade motioned towards Zach, and the boy reluctantly withdrew the electricity, unwilling to get into an argument with his boss.  
  
"Stay out of this, Seraphim. That is an order!" Ryan snapped.   
  
Deirdre looked worriedly at him, but followed the order and stepped away from Blitz. Ryan and Blade continued their slow and ironically graceful movements, both determined to settle things without any further interference from their teams.  
  
'Ryan...be careful' Diana thought, knowing that Ryan would hear her.   
  
'I will,' Ryan replied.  
  
A sudden rush of dizziness hit Diana, and she leaned against the wall for support. Ben was instantly by her side.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked concerned.  
  
"Yeah...I'm just...a bit dizzy," Diana mumbled.  
  
She looked up, and was shocked to see that both Ryan and Blade were watching her - Blade with cruel smirk, and Ryan with something akin to terror in his eyes.  
  
"You're doing it again, I see," Blade noted with the satisfaction of a predator closing in on its prey. "Admit it...you like the rush of power. Feels good, doesn't it?" he continued ruthlessly.  
  
Ryan shook his head.  
  
"You're insane," he whispered.  
  
Blade shrugged.  
  
"Maybe...but at least *I* haven't spent the last five years helping the fucking flatscans. Betrayer," he spat out. "Helping the race that's trying to get us killed."  
  
Ryan's eyes grew cold.  
  
"You know, Heron, I don't think your random attacks against high-profile humans helped our situation, either," Ryan bit back. "If you and your team hadn't spent so much time working against the government, maybe we wouldn't *be* in this situation."  
  
"Ha! With the kind of politicians that run this country, I was doing us a favor!" Blade retorted.  
  
Ryan smiled slowly.   
  
"You enjoyed it, didn't you?" he asked, although it was more of a statement than a question.  
  
Blade's eyes narrowed, but he remained silent.  
  
"I'm not a kid anymore, *Blade*. You can't intimidate me," Ryan continued ruthlessly. He had expected that the comment would goad Blade into attacking...but it didn't.  
  
Instead, Blade just nodded slowly and smiled. It wasn't the smirk or sneer that people usually saw, but a cold, ruthless smile that send a small shiver down Ryan's spine.  
  
"You're right, *Ryan*. You've grown up."  
  
Blade paused briefly, still with the cold smile on his lips.  
  
"Maybe you'll prove to be a worthy opponent after all."  
  
The sudden sound of distant sirens tore through the night, and Zach looked at the two driveways that led to the motel. On one of them, the distinctive lights from several police-cars became increasingly brighter as the cars got closer.  
  
"Fuck! Blade, it's the cops!"  
  
"Get the luggage and get into the car!" Blade snapped, but didn't move away from Ryan.  
  
Zach and Jordane sent the Guardians a final dirty look before they ran into the room and grabbed the bags. Ryan nodded to his team, and they, too, left to grab their things.  
  
The two opponents waited for a long moment, then the others returned and hurried to the cars. Blade waited until Zach and Jordane had reached the car, then he finally allowed himself to relax slightly.  
  
"We'll finish this...trust me," he threatened, and glared at Ryan.  
  
Ryan met Blade's angry glare without blinking.  
  
"Good. Then we'll settle this once and for all," he replied, in a voice that was every bit as cold as Blade's.  
  
For a long moment, neither moved. Then Blade spun around and followed Zach and Jordane to the car.  
  
Ryan glared at Blade's retreating back for a second, then followed his own team away from the motel.  
  
***  
  
Hmm...is Ryan hiding something from his team, or is Blade just playing mind games again? Just how does the two know each other? What's with Diana's sudden dizziness? And what's happening to the rest of the runaway mutants? 


	9. Oh, What a Tangled Web We Weave, part II

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters - ideas, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to d.angelino@caramail.com (oh, the joys of multiple e-mail accounts ;)  
  
A/N 2: The first of several new mutants will be introduced in this chapter - Rina Kells, who belongs to Katherine, Erik Angel, who belongs to Rogue Angel (although it probably wasn't the way she expected him to show up *wry smile*), and Francis Octavian, who belongs to Mr. Bigg. Profiles will be added to a separate chapter as the characters are introduced.   
  
'...' Indicates telepathy/conversation between Jhonen and a spirit (are all these codes giving you a headache yet? ;)  
_..._ Indicates thoughts  
  
***  
  
Chapter Nine: Oh, What A Tangled Web We Weave, part II  
  
***  
  
The door opened and Jhonen took a careful peek inside.  
  
"Well...it could have been worse," he said, and opened the door completely.   
  
The motel-room wasn't exactly good, but they only had to stay there for a night, so it didn't really matter. As long as there were even remotely usable beds, the trio would be happy. It had been a long day, and the exhaustion was starting to set in.  
  
Suzuka followed him inside the room and tossed her bag on a bed. She sat down and nodded satisfied when she found that the bed was fairly comfortable.  
  
Jhonen looked out the window.  
  
"Nice neighborhood," he commented.  
  
Suzuka got up and joined him by the window. Outside, the darkness had been chased away by dozens of brightly colored neon lights that were reflected in the small puddles of water on the road. Across the street, a young pair of hookers made suggestive gestures to the passing cars. Hidden in the shadows, a hollow eyed man took a drink of some cheap vodka, before he curled up underneath a torn umbrella.  
  
Suzuka snorted.  
  
"Well, what did you expect for the price we paid? The Four Seasons?"  
  
Jhonen shook his head and sighed.  
  
"I don't know, I'm just..." he made a helpless gesture, and Suzuka nodded.  
  
"I know. But there's nothing we can do."  
  
Jhonen shut the curtains and sat down on his bed. He felt tired, and not only physically. The past twenty-four hours had aged him more than he had ever thought possible, and he suddenly felt much older than his seventeen years. He had always been able to keep up a carefree facade, but the light-heartedness was quickly drowning beneath a mountain of unwanted emotions - bleakness, hopelessness, and a growing cynicism that he had never thought himself capable of.   
  
'And they call *you* monsters,' a ghostly voice whispered in his ear. 'Why do you even put up with them?'   
  
'They don't know any better,' Jhonen replied, without even thinking. It was this argument he'd used on himself whenever he felt the need to get even with another member of the FoH. Maybe it could be used on spirits, too.  
  
'But they do. They know you. They know everything about you. Your powers, your weaknesses-'  
  
"Jhonen? Are you okay" a voice interrupted.  
  
Jhonen looked up and saw Suzuka frown. He shook his head to get rid of the remains of the ghostly voice.  
  
"Sure...someone just felt the need to comment," he replied.  
  
"Oh," Suzuka said and sat down. "Anyone we know?"  
  
Almost against his will, Jhonen smiled. It seemed almost surreal at times - to talk about the spirits as if they were old friends. But then again...some of them were.   
  
"Not to my knowledge, no. He didn't introduce himself."  
  
"How impolite," Suzuka mumbled, and Jhonen smiled. Trust Suzuka to comment on something like that.  
  
His train of thoughts was interrupted by a knock on the door, and Suzuka quickly got up and opened the door.  
  
"Kyle! Finally!" she said and moved aside to let him in.  
  
"Patience is a virtue," he reminded her with mock seriousness. Suzuka just stuck out her tongue. Kyle smiled, and tossed his bag on the last of the beds, then placed a paper bag on the table. Jhonen opened it.  
  
"Cajun?" he asked.   
  
Kyle shrugged.  
  
"It was the only thing that looked even remotely edible."  
  
"Hey, I don't care what it is, as long as it's food," Suzuka said.  
  
Kyle just smiled and handed her the bag.  
  
***  
  
"Listen, Sergey. I need a safehouse, and I need it now," Laetitia snapped.  
  
Despite the fact that she was standing in a phone booth, her three teammates could easily hear what she was saying. They could also hear that she was more than a little pissed at whoever was in the other end of the line.  
  
"Yes, of course I can pay," Laetitia snapped. She paused and listened.  
  
"Three besides me. We'll again leave tomorrow morning," she replied, this time a bit less angry.   
  
Pheonix looked at Hal and Aaron.  
  
"Who is it?" she asked quietly.  
  
Hal shrugged, and Aaron frowned.  
  
"She said something about an old contact," he hissed, his forked tongue swiping out. "She didn't mention any names."  
  
"Thanks, Sergey," Laetitia said and hung up. She stepped out of the booth and motioned to the others.  
  
"I found a safe place for us to spend the night. Someone will meet us here, and show us where it is," she told them. "It'll cost us about five hundred bucks, but we will be guaranteed safety."   
  
"Who was it?" Pheonix asked.  
  
"One of my father's old contacts," Laetitia replied. "His name is Sergey. That's all I'm going to tell you. Now sit down and make yourselves comfortable. This could take a while."  
  
  
Not surprisingly, it turned out that Laetitia was right - one hour later, an old car pulled up in front of them, and a young man opened the door.   
  
"You Nike?" he asked, and took off the earphones to his walkman.  
  
Laetitia nodded and the young man smiled lazily.  
  
"Great. I'm Francis Octavian, but everybody calls me Frank. Follow me, and we'll find that safehouse for you."  
  
***  
  
"So...where are we, and where are we going?" Jhonen asked.  
  
"Here," Kyle said and pointed at a red spot on the map. "Harrisburg. Even if there is another checkpoint, we should be able to reach Johnstown tomorrow - if we don't get up too late, that is."  
  
Jhonen and Suzuka nodded.  
  
"Do you think the others will be there?" Suzuka asked.  
  
"Sure," Kyle said. "You know Ryan and Deirdre - they won't let anything get in their way."  
  
"I guess you're right," Suzuka admitted and sent him a small smile.  
  
"Of course he is," Jhonen grinned. "A Sanderson is always right."  
  
"Cute," Kyle remarked wryly. "Go get some sleep, you two."  
  
"Sure. 'Night, Kyle," Suzuka said.  
  
"Goodnight," Kyle replied absently, and folded the map back together. He had done the best he could to sound confident that Ryan and the others would be at the rendezvous, but in reality he had a nagging feeling of doubt. What Jhonen and Suzuka didn't know was that Ryan had been near unconscious when the team had split up. Who knew what condition he was in now?  
  
***  
  
"This is it," Frank said. "It ain't the Regency, but at least it's safe."  
  
The four members of the Shadow Alliance looked at each other, then at the house. It wasn't nice by any standards - the two bedrooms showed clear signs of frequent use, and the once white walls were now a dusty grayish color - but it was far away from any prying eyes.   
It had taken them about half an hour to reach the small house, which was hidden away in the industrial areas of the town, and on the way Frank had explained that the safehouse was used as a hideout for mutants who were on the run.  
  
"The bathroom is down the hallway, first door on the right. The kitchen is straight ahead. You can use either bedroom - there's only one more person here today besides you, so there's plenty of beds," Frank continued.   
  
The others nodded, and walked inside the first bedroom. Laetitia was about to follow them when Frank grabbed her arm.  
  
"Meet me in the kitchen when you're done. It's important," he said quietly.  
  
Laetitia nodded, and followed the others. She dumped her bag on the nearest bed, then headed out the door again.  
  
"I'll be back in a moment. I have something to take care of," she said over her shoulder.   
  
Her teammates just nodded, and started to look for the most comfortable of the beds.   
  
***  
  
"You wanted to talk to me?" Laetitia asked. The words were polite, but her entire attitude radiated nothing but cold indifference.  
  
Frank smiled weakly.  
  
"Y'know, Sergey was right - you can be pretty scary when you put your mind to it. Not that it's a bad thing," he hurriedly added.  
  
Laetitia glared at him, and he sank.  
  
"Oh, yeah, the message. Sergey says that the feds are closing in on you. Found a lead in Greece, I think. He recommends that you go underground and buy yourself a new identity."   
  
"What?!" Laetitia demanded and slammed her hand down on the table.  
  
Frank quickly backed away and held up his hands.  
  
"Hey, don't kill the messenger!" he said. "It's not my fault - I'm just telling you what Sergey said!"  
  
Laetitia sighed and rubbed her hand.  
  
"I know, and despite my reputation, I'm not going to hurt you. Thank you for relaying the message, even if it wasn't a good one."  
  
"You're welcome," Frank replied with a faint smile. "Listen, if you need anything, I'll be in the room next to the bedrooms, okay?"  
  
Laetitia nodded, and then headed back to her teammates.   
  
***  
  
Meanwhile, the other three had discovered that other guest Frank had mentioned. On one of the beds in the corner lay a girl with her eyes closed. She was in her late teens, and had black hair with dark red streaks.   
  
"Do you think we should, like, tell her we're here or something?" Hal whispered.  
  
"I don't think so," Pheonix whispered back. "I know *I* would be pretty pissed if someone woke me up just to say 'hi'."  
  
"You don't have to whisper, you know," the girl said and opened her eyes. "I'm not asleep."  
  
She sat up and stretched, before getting out of bed to take a look at her new roommates.  
  
"I'm Rina. Rina Kells," she introduced herself.  
  
"I'm Pheonix, and this is Hal, and Aaron," Pheonix said and pointed at the others. "There's one more, Laetitia, but she had something to take care of. She'll be back soon."  
  
Rina nodded.  
  
"Cool. Where're you heading?"  
  
Hal shrugged.   
  
"South," she replied vaguely.   
  
"We're from New York," Pheonix added, before Hal could stop her.  
  
"Really? That's where I'm heading! How are things over there?" Rina asked.  
  
Hal sent Pheonix a stern look before replying.   
  
"It's bad. There were riots all over the city when we left. The whole place was on the edge of civil war. There are checkpoints around the entire city, too. Trust me, going there is a bad idea."   
  
Rina shrugged.  
  
"Maybe - but I'm counting on my power to keep me safe. I can hypnotize people by looking into their eyes...that should keep me safe, I think. Or at least for long enough for me to get a ticket to a plane to Europe. "  
  
"Maybe," Aaron said, speaking for the first time since they got there. "But it's a big risk you're taking."  
  
Rina shrugged.  
  
"Probably, yeah. But I have friends in Europe, and it would be stupid to stay here."  
  
The others nodded in agreement, then looked up as they heard someone enter the room.  
  
"Hey, Nike," Hal said. "Laetitia, meet Rina. Rina, this is Laetitia," she introduced.  
  
Laetitia just nodded before addressing her teammates.  
  
"You should get some sleep. We have a long day ahead."  
  
Pheonix stifled a yawn.  
  
"I guess you're right," she admitted.  
  
Laetitia's only reply was to ruffle Pheonix' hair in a rare gesture of affection.  
  
***  
  
"Freeze! Nobody moves!"  
  
The shout tore through Jhonen's peaceful sleep, and he sat up with a gasp. Someone turned on the light, and he felt a flash of pain at the sudden brightness. He blinked several times to clear his eyes before he was able to see again.   
  
In the doorway stood two police officers, both of them pointing their guns at the three mutants. Inside the room, two other cops, followed by a dog on a tight leash, were searching the small room.   
  
"What's going on?" Kyle asked calmly, and sent his two teammates a look that clearly told them to stay put and let him handle things.  
  
"A drug-raid," one of the cops said. "So unless you have something to hide, you have nothing to worry about."  
  
Kyle nodded, and the two policemen continued their search. Muted protests from the other rooms reached Kyle's ears, and he realized that it hadn't been a trap - they had just been at the wrong place at the wrong time.  
  
Jhonen took a deep breath to steady himself, then watched as the humans and their dog went through the bags on the floor.   
  
'Nothing to worry about...yeah, right' a voice whispered. Jhonen immediately recognized the voice - it was the same spirit what had tried to make him angry earlier.  
  
'Shut up. I didn't ask for your opinion,' Jhonen snapped.  
  
'Temper, temper,' the voice taunted. 'Why don't you use that anger for something productive...like dealing with those damn flatscans?'  
  
'Because it would get me killed, that's why,' Jhonen growled mentally.  
  
'Oh, really? Kyle could stop the bullets before they hit any of you, and Suzuka could transform into a bear or a lion and deal with the fucking morons,' the voice hinted.  
  
Jhonen didn't reply, but closed his eyes and tried to ignore the spirit. Unfortunately, it didn't work.  
  
'Come on, mate. You know you want to,' the ghost-voice tempted.  
  
Jhonen clenched his fists and felt a sharp pain as his nails sank into his soft skin.   
  
'Go away,' he snapped, but the spirit just laughed hollowly.   
  
'Do you know what they do to the mutants they catch?' it continued and tried another approach. 'They experiment on them. They lock them up in small cages until they find a use for them They treat them like animals. Like fucking animals.'  
  
Jhonen concentrated and tried to block out the spirit, but he didn't succeed.  
  
'And when they're tired of you, they'll kill you,' the voice taunted. 'The lucky ones die quickly. The rest...'  
  
At that moment, Jhonen lost control. Every last bit of the anger that the spirit had brought coursed through his veins until it reached the only possible outlet - his powers.   
  
Across the room, where the two policemen were still going through the bags, Kyle saw Jhonen turn semi-transparent, and mentally cursed. He raised his hands to slow down the policemen, but it was too late.  
  
"We have a mutie here!" one of the cops shouted, and reached for the tranquilizer that hung from his belt. He fired the pistol at Jhonen, but Kyle froze the needle in the air before it could reach the young mutant.  
  
Suddenly, he felt a needle penetrate his skin, and only then did he realize his fatal mistake - he had forgotten about the other two cops, and left himself open for attacks.   
  
His last conscious thought was that they shouldn't have picked a motel in that part of town.  
  
Then there was only darkness.  
  
  
***  
To anyone who might be wondering: yes, the new characters will show up again. When? Well, that's the big question ;)   
  
Coming up: Chapter Ten: 'A Blast from the Past'. Apparently, Ryan and Blade's quarrel goes back a long time, but *how* long? That's something not even their own teammates know...  
  
*** 


	10. A Blast From the Past

A/N 2: The new characters *will* show up again, no doubt about that. And to those who are wondering – yes, I *do* intend to answer all the questions I raised in chapter eight ;) I have Ryan and Blade's past all mapped out – I only need to write it into the story. Eventually *he, he*. 

Oh, and I'll go down to one chapter a week again. My wonderful vacation is over - *sniff* - so it's back to the hell that is the senior year of high school :P

'...' Indicates telepathy

[...] Indicates dreams

***

Chapter Ten: A Blast from the Past

***

[It was cold; the kind of cold that hurled invisible needles of ice into any exposed skin. It was cold, and it was windy, and while Ryan knew that this was nothing but a nightmare, he found himself unable to wake up. 

He was back on the rooftop some six years earlier, back where he could see the lights from the ambulances and police cars far below.

It was chaos, created by blinking lights and muted sirens. Chaos, and unspeakable fear as Ryan saw the dark person move closer. Chaos, fear, and the knowledge that like a deer caught in the headlights, he was paralyzed. Nowhere to run, no chance of escape.

The man kept walking until he was so close that Ryan could smell the gunpowder from the still-smoking rifle. Then, painfully aware of his intimidating presence, the man leaned closer until Ryan was caught between the man and the concrete wall. 

"You didn't save his life," the man taunted in a low voice. "The bullet was filled with poison. He's going to die a slow...agonizing...death...all because you wanted to play hero." 

"I wasn't the one who pulled the trigger," Ryan somehow managed to say, despite of his fear.

"Oh, but you might as well have," the man replied, and sent Ryan a cold smirk. "If you'd left me alone, he would have died painlessly."

The man took a step back.

"Think about that tomorrow when you read the headlines," he taunted. He turned around and walked away-]

- And Ryan woke up with a gasp. 

The adrenaline coursed through his body and brought back the memories from the day before – the checkpoint, Blade, their confrontation, escaping the police, finding an abandoned barn to sleep in...

Ryan took several deep breaths to slow down the frantic beating of his heart, but it took a long, painful minute before he was calm enough to think clearly again. He sighed and stood up, and brushed away the hay that stuck to his clothes. He looked at the blanket he'd slept on, then grabbed it and quickly shook it to get the dirt and hay out of it. 

Ryan slowly scanned the barn. The others were still asleep in the small stacks of dried grass and hay that had been left behind, and judging from the faint glow from the horizon, it would probably take a while before they woke up.

Still tired, he sank to the floor and leaned against the wall. He sighed and closed his eyes, and tried to forget the nightmare, but it was impossible.

"Do you want to talk about?" 

Ryan's eyes snapped open. To his left, a small shadow made its way across the floor, followed by the rustling sound of movement in the hay. Diana, with her blanket around her shoulders, stepped into the faint light, and sat down next to Ryan.

"What happened last night, Ryan?" Diana asked quietly. "What did Blade mean when he said you weren't a kid anymore? And what about my sudden dizziness? Was it one of Blade's powers that caused that?"

"No, that's..." Ryan stopped himself and sighed. "Listen, Diana, I appreciate your concern, and I promise I'll explain everything...but not now. Not yet."

Diana nodded understanding.

"Okay...okay. But no matter what it is, we're here for you, remember? Just because you're the leader doesn't mean that you have to handle everything on your own."

Ryan smiled, and felt the terror of the nightmare slowly start to leave him.

"I'll remember that," he promised.

Diana smiled, and the two fell into a comfortable silence while they waited for their teammates to wake up.

***

It was the blinding light of the morning sun that woke up Jordane. At first, she wasn't completely sure where she was – a small part of her desperately hoped that she would wake up in her bed in the warehouse – but the constant hum of a car engine brought her back to reality. 

She yawned and sat up. Beside her, Blade was still asleep, and in the front seat, Zach was tapping his fingers against the steering wheel in a restless rhythm. 

"'Morning," Jordane mumbled, and stretched as far as the car would allow.

Zach sent her a quick look in the rearview mirror.

"'Morning," he replied quietly, careful not to wake up Blade.

Jordane blinked and looked out the window. They had taken turns at the wheel all night, having decided to continue until noon, and then find someplace to rest. 

"Where are we?" she asked.

"We passed Johnstown a while back. With a little luck, we should be able to reach Pittsburgh today," Zach replied. "Then we'll wait for the others, and cross the border to the Midwest."

Jordane nodded, and fell silent again. Next to her, Blade moved slightly, and Jordane was quick to grab the rare chance of seeing him vulnerable. Although 'vulnerable' wasn't really the word she would use – even in sleep, Blade had a hard look on his face. She raised her hand, paused briefly, then reached out and caressed his cheek. Blade moved again, and Jordane froze, one part of her hoping he would wake up, the other praying that he wouldn't. He remained asleep, though, and Jordane withdrew her hand.

With a content sigh she curled up on the seat and fell asleep again.

In the front seat Zach shook his head and pretended that he hadn't seen anything.

***

Back with the Guardians, things didn't look nearly as good. They had been on road for about an hour, and the atmosphere in the car was heavy with worry and unanswered questions. 

It was Deirdre who finally voiced what everybody was thinking about.

"Ryan? Have you heard anything from the others?" she asked. The question sounded casual, but one didn't have to be a mindreader to sense the worry underneath. There were a lot of things that could have happened to Kyle, Jhonen, and Suzuka. They could have run into the cops. They could have met the FoH. They might even have had a confrontation with the rest of the Shadow Alliance. 

Ryan sighed.

"I tried to contact them this morning, but they didn't respond. They were probably still asleep," he explained in as calm a voice as he could manage. It wasn't easy with the many worried thoughts he had been having in the past hour – nightmarish images of their three teammates fighting the FoH, or lying bleeding in an alley.

"Or maybe they were too far away for me to reach them," he added, and tried to suppress the growing unease he felt.

Apparently he sounded convincing enough, because Deirdre smiled slightly and seemed a bit less worried. 

"You'll see, they're probably already in Johnstown when we get there," he said and managed a forced grin.

"Yeah...I guess you're right," Deirdre finally admitted. A normal conversation – or as normal as it could get – picked up among the two girls and Ben, and Ryan leaned back in his seat. 

Yes, Kyle and the other would be at the rendezvous, no doubt about that. There was no need to be worried, Ryan decided. 

But the nightmarish visions just returned with renewed force.

***

Cliffhangers – it's a way of life *g*. Yes, short chapter, I know, but my bed is calling. Trust me: 3 ½ hours of sleep = Bad Thing ;)

Coming up: Kyle, Jhonen, and Suzuka wake up in jail. Things go pretty much downhill from there.


	11. Awakenings

The one good thing about the 6 inches of snow we got in the past 36 hours - we get a lot of lessons off ;)  
  
  
A/N 1: As in the previous chapters - ideas for fic or character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to d.angelino@caramail.com (don't worry - I don't bite. Unless you ask me to, of course...;)  
  
A/N 2: Well, what do you know? We just hit the 50+ pages mark. That's gotta be a new record for me *g*. Kyle's reaction to the drugs was inspired by Dennis, who really should know better than to try to drink three seniors under the table. And don't worry, sugar - we didn't take pictures.  
  
A/N 3: New character again - Prue Marson, who belongs to Cherry Drop. Take notes, there will be a quiz later ;)  
  
'...' Indicates telepathy  
  
Notes: 'Dasvidanja' means 'goodbye.'  
  
***  
  
Chapter Eleven: Awakenings  
  
***  
  
Pain.   
  
That was Kyle's first thought as he slowly regained consciousness.   
  
His head hurt, his muscles hurt, and he felt a lot like the one time he'd been out drinking and woke up with the mother of all hangovers. He tried to move his body, but the pain it caused made him whimper.  
  
"Don't try to move," a female voice said. "It's the after effects of the drugs. It'll get better in a few minutes."  
  
Two gentle hands brushed his hair away from his face, and Kyle forced himself to open his eyes. The sudden brightness felt almost like a physical pain, then faded into a faint throbbing in his head, and merged with the general discomfort he felt.   
  
Floor. He was lying on some dark gray floor. A hard, cold, uncomfortable floor. He groaned mentally. This ranked pretty high on the 'worst places he had ever woken up' list, right besides the likes of 'dumpster' and 'FoH headquarter'.  
  
"Jeez, you don't like to listen to other people's advice, do you?" the female asked. The words might have been a bit harsh, but her voice was light and teasing.   
  
Kyle looked at her. She was small - slim and short. Young, too, but not as young as Jhonen and Suzuka. Maybe nineteen. Twenty at the most. Strawberry blonde hair and gray eyes. Not entirely unattractive, he noted.  
  
He tried to move his arms to find a more comfortable position, and found that the girl had been right. It still hurt like hell, but considerably less than before. He tried to sit up but the resulting pain made him groan and lie back on the floor.  
  
"Warned you," the girl said. It wasn't gloating, but merely a statement of facts. "I'm Prue Marson."  
  
"Kyle Sanderson," Kyle replied when the pain had faded enough for him to think again. "What about the others?" he asked, and somehow managed to form a coherent sentence.  
  
"Others? The ones you came here with?" Prue asked.  
  
Kyle nodded, careful not to move too fast. The pain had now settled as a steady throbbing in his head, much like a very bad hangover. He could think, but he had a hard time concentrating on anything.  
  
"Still out cold," his cellmate reported. "If the three of you got caught together, they should wake up soon."  
  
Kyle nodded again, and ever so slowly he managed to move into a sitting position, leaning against the hard wall. Finally he got a good look at the room they were in.  
  
Gray. Dark gray and empty - no chairs, no beds, no blankets. An old toilet in one corner, and a sink in another. A steel door. A cell - but where? The last thing he remembered was the motel-room in Harrisburg and that was...yesterday? The day before? He didn't even know how long he'd been out. This place...this could be anywhere.   
  
"What is this place?" he whispered and rubbed his head. He felt like his mind was engulfed in a heavy fog, and he had a hard time even remembering what had happened.   
  
Prue sighed and leaned against the wall.  
  
"I'm not sure. A police station of some sort. The guys who brought you in were wearing police uniforms."  
  
Kyle sighed.  
  
"Great."  
  
"They're sending us to the camps, you know," Prue said.  
  
Kyle raised an eyebrow and sent her a questioningly look.  
  
"I heard them talk about it - the guards outside. They talked about a camp called Outpost Four," Prue continued.  
  
Kyle slowly nodded.  
  
"I've heard of it. Across the border, right? Somewhere in..." he tried to remember the state, but it kept eluding him. He frowned, and concentrated.  
  
"Kentucky, I think," he finally said, then gasped as the pain returned with renewed strength. "My head!"   
  
"Oh, God, I'm so sorry. I should have warned you - I think it's the drugs. As soon as you try to concentrate, the pain will start again," Prue explained and sent him an apologizing look.   
  
"I learned that the hard way," she continued and winced. "I tried to use my powers, but the only result was a headache. When I tried again, I passed out."  
  
"Powers? What do you do?" Kyle asked and rubbed his head. Damn, it hurt. He could barely concentrate for long enough to form a coherent sentence - there was no way he would be able to use his powers. Especially not if he wanted to control the result.  
  
"I can create holes in the ground," Prue explained, and after seeing Kyle's look she elaborated a bit. "If I put my hands on the floor and concentrate, I can create holes, no matter what the material is."  
  
Kyle nodded slowly, careful not to do anything that would make the headache worse. "My power is molecular manipulation...I can slow things down. Not the most useful of powers, but it keeps me alive."  
  
A moan alerted Kyle and Prue to the fact that Suzuka was waking up, and somehow Kyle managed to crawl over to her without too much pain.  
  
"What happened?" she mumbled. "The last thing I remember is giving one of the cops a knee in the groin...and then nothing."  
  
"That's my girl," Kyle grinned, but quickly sobered up. "We're in a prison of some sort. Don't know where, and don't know how long we've been here."  
  
"Damn," Suzuka mumbled, then rubbed her head. "My head hurts."  
  
"Try not to concentrate too hard on anything. That helps," Prue advised.  
  
"And you are...?" Suzuka asked weakly.  
  
"Prue Marson. Your cellmate."  
  
"Great," Suzuka muttered. "What about Jhonen?"  
  
"Still asleep," Prue reported.  
  
With an uncharacteristic clumsiness Kyle crawled the few feet to where Jhonen was lying, and even through the thick haze that engulfed his mind, he knew that something was wrong. Jhonen was pale, and with a growing feeling of worry, Kyle reached out to touch his face.  
  
"He's burning," Kyle whispered, and a quick check of Jhonen's pulse revealed that it was unnaturally fast.  
  
He looked at the other two.  
  
"We have to get out of here."  
  
"We can't use our powers," Prue reminded him.  
  
Kyle sighed.  
  
"No, we can't. But someone else might still be able to get us out of here." If he isn't unconscious..., Kyle silently added.   
  
Kyle leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. Years with Ryan had slowly created a psychic link between them, and he knew from experience that Ryan could hear him across fairly long distances. Hopefully, he would be able to alert Ryan before the drugs kicked in. He took a deep breath and tried to gather his thoughts. The pain instantly got worse, but Kyle managed to push it aside for long enough to form one crystal-clear and desperate thought.  
  
'RYAN!'  
  
And somewhere outside Harrisburg, Ryan nearly drove off the road.  
  
***  
  
Although it was early when Laetitia woke up, Rina had already left - her bed was empty, and her bags were gone. Laetitia yawned, then got out of bed and put on a sweater and a pain of jeans. The clothes were very different from the expensive designer clothes she had been used to in Greece, but she had long ago learned that a person on the run could not afford to be picky.   
  
Quickly checking that the others were still asleep, she walked down the hallway, past the door to Frank's room - which was still closed, she noted - then stepped into the kitchen. She closed the door, then grabbed the phone and dialed a number she could have recited even in her sleep.  
  
The phone rang once, then twice, before being picked up.  
  
"Daniel Lee's IT Consulting Agency, how may I help you?" a cheery female voice asked.  
  
Laetitia sighed and rubbed her forehead. Damn, she hated morning people.  
  
"Nike, 10783-24-C," she recited. A lot of things weren't what they appeared to be, Daniel Lee's IT company included. In reality, it was a cover for Sergey Nikolajevish' widespread, illegal operations - espionage, kidnappings, and assassinations, to mention a few. Laetitia didn't know how they had managed to convince the government to look the other way, and quite frankly, she didn't care. Sergey was a contact and an occasional employer, and she respected him too much to snoop around in things that were none of her business.  
  
"I'll put you through to the Boss immediately, miss Tatapoulos," the women replied, and dropped the cheerful facade in favor of a more professional one.   
  
"Thanks," Laetitia replied.  
  
There was a moment of noise as the call was transferred to Sergey's office, then two more rings before it was picked up.  
  
"Nike," Sergey greeted. His voice was deep, but not in a threatening manner. He sounded much like a kind uncle or grandfather, and he looked like that as well. A friendly Russian in his mid-forties, with gray hairs starting to replace the black ones, and a fondness for good red wine, of all things.  
  
He looked harmless, and that was probably why he had managed to become one of the most powerful people in world of the criminals.  
  
"Hey, Sergey," Laetitia replied, and sat down on the empty table.  
  
"I trust that Frank delivered my message?"  
  
Laetitia sighed.  
  
"Yeah. How bad is it?"  
  
There was a pause, and she knew that Sergey was debating how much to tell her.   
  
"It's bad," he finally said. "The Greek lead was good. You're good at covering your tracks, but even then..."  
  
He trailed off, and Laetitia felt a flicker of impatience.  
  
"How long?" she asked.  
  
"Depending on the skills of the investigators, the leads they find, the-"  
  
"How. Long?" Laetitia interrupted, and this time the anger was clear in her voice.  
  
There was a sigh at the other end of the line.  
  
"Two months. One month in the worst case scenario."  
  
"Fuck," Laetitia breathed.  
  
"Nike, listen to me," Sergey continued. "Get yourself a new identity. Go underground...Asia, maybe. Somewhere with a lot of people, like Tokyo or Beijing. Stay low until things cool down a bit. You're young...don't get yourself killed because you're too proud to retreat when the ground starts to burn underneath your feet."  
  
"I can't, I'm-"  
  
"Think about it, Nike," Sergey interrupted. "At least think about it, okay?"  
  
"I will," Laetitia promised. "Bye."  
  
"Dasvidanja," Sergey replied.  
  
Laetitia hung up and buried her head in her hands.  
  
Fuck.  
  
"What's wrong?"   
  
Laetitia's head snapped up, but she relaxed when she saw Pheonix in the doorway.  
  
"Nothing," she replied and shook her head.  
  
Pheonix sent her a pointed look.  
  
"Don't try to fool me. I know you, Nike."  
  
Laetitia smiled faintly.  
  
"Too well, it appears" she replied, and took Pheonix' hand. Dark brown fingers intertwined with Laetitia's tanned ones, and the older girl sighed. Pheonix was so young...she deserved a life with a loving family, and not someone like the Shadow Alliance. But it was too late for that, and if nothing else, Laetitia owed Pheonix the truth.  
  
"The feds are closing in on me," she finally said. "One month...two at the most."  
  
Pheonix eyes widened slightly, and Laetitia knew that she understood the implications.   
  
"You're leaving?" she asked, and for a long, surreal moment Laetitia saw a frightened child underneath Pheonix' bad attitude.   
  
"I don't know," Nike replied truthfully. "I really don't know."   
  
"Please stay," Pheonix whispered anguished. "I don't wanna be alone again."  
  
Laetitia just sighed and hugged the girl. If she stayed, she would get captured. On the other hand she couldn't leave Pheonix behind, and living underground was not something she wanted the young girl to experience.  
  
Shit. When had life become this complicated?  
  
***  
  
*He, he* Oh, it's great to be evil ;)   
  
Coming up: To rescue or not to rescue...and what is happening to Jhonen? 


	12. 1st Interlude: I am Darkness, I am Death

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters - ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net   
  
A/N 2: I better explain this part. This vignette/interlude/whatever is a necessary part of the fic - unfortunately, it didn't fit into chapter 11, nor will it fit into chapter 12. It could, probably, be called something like 11 1/2 or 11b, but I'm *so* not going there.   
  
Therefore, this is the first of the interludes - small (or not so small) chapters that focuses on one or two persons, and which really won't fit in anywhere else. They follow the rest of the fic, meaning that this would take place during/right after chapter 11. Enjoy :)   
  
Note: There's about one person beside me who will understand the meaning behind the title, but that's okay - wouldn't want to give away *too* much, after all ;)  
  
***  
  
First Interlude: "I am Darkness, I am Death."  
  
***  
  
Contrary to what one might think, the spirit world was not consistent...at least not in the normal sense of the word. In fact, only two things in that world were even remotely consistent - it existed, and it changed.  
  
God, did it change.  
  
Jhonen had quickly learned that the spirits (and he himself) were able to shape the spirit world as they saw fit. It was as if there was a myriad of different worlds that were all, in some weird way, combined.  
  
Each spirit created their own world, and it was obvious that they all had their particular preferences. Jhonen mother, for one, was very fond of beaches, especially Caribbean beaches during sunset. The sunsets she created were sometimes so beautiful that it brought tears to Jhonen's light brown eyes.  
  
Another spirit he'd become familiar with, Christine, loved mountain and created them frequently - majestic, show-covered mountains, so tall that you became dizzy when you stood in their shadow and looked up.  
  
Each spirit had a certain world that they loved - some cold, some warm, some dry, some green and moist - but they all had one thing in common: beauty. They were beautiful.  
  
Beautiful...and very unlike the place that Jhonen now found himself in.  
  
It was, in one word, a nightmare. If Jhonen had been religious, he would have called it Hell.  
  
Twisted, torn rocks reaching towards a dark red sky, and a horizon which was hidden by heavy, ominous, black clouds that made their presence known by a continuos deep rumbling. A large, black lake spread out before him, but any reflection was lost in its endless depths. A roar of thunder made Jhonen jump back, and above him, fierce red lightning tore across the sky.  
  
"Took you long enough," a voice said, and Jhonen spun around.   
  
Behind him stood a boy who was probably only around Jhonen's age, but the haunted eyes and the dark circles under his gray eyes made him look years older. The boy moved closer, and Jhonen unconsciously took a step back. The boy smiled faintly, but didn't comment on it.  
  
"Who are you?" Jhonen asked. It was the one question that had been bugging him ever since the restless spirit first made its presence known - who was this annoy person who insisted on getting them into trouble?  
  
The boy smirked and snapped his fingers. A lit cigarette appeared in the air and fell into his hand. He took a long drag, then blew out the smoke with a satisfied look on his face.  
  
"Erik," he replied. "Erik Angel."  
  
Angel? Yeah, right, Jhonen thought, but kept it to himself.  
  
"What? No jokes about my last name?" Erik asked. "Angel - fuck it," he muttered and took another drag from the cigarette.  
  
Jhonen frowned. He wasn't fond of smoking in real life, and he wasn't about to put up with it here. He did have a certain power in this world, and he wasn't above using it. With only a flicker of a thought, he turned the tobacco into dried oak leaves. Erik, oblivious to Jhonen's trick, inhaled deeply once again, then bobbed over in a fit of coughs.   
  
"Fuck! Bloody asshole!" he managed to get out between coughs.  
  
Jhonen sent him a pointed look, and Erik sighed and tossed the cigarette into the black lake. It disappeared in the liquid without making even the slightest disturbance on the smooth surface. For a brief moment Jhonen watched the lake, then turned his attention to Erik.  
  
"Alright, *Erik*. What the hell do you think you were doing? We got caught by the police because of you, moron!"  
  
Erik rolled his eyes.  
  
"Well, maybe if you wimps hadn't been so determined to protect the flatscans, you might have been able to fight your way out of there!"  
  
"If you hadn't been so determined to make me angry, we wouldn't *be* in this situation!" Jhonen snapped.  
  
"Human-lover," Erik muttered and turned his back to Jhonen.  
  
Jhonen sighed and decided to try another tactic.   
  
"Listen, obviously there's something you want from me, otherwise you wouldn't have bothered to contact me in the first place. So tell me who you are and what you want, and then we'll take it from there."  
  
Erik smiled wryly.  
  
"You're not as stupid as you look. 'Course, that would have been hard, but I think you could have managed."  
  
The only reply he got was a roar of thunder when Jhonen proved that the cigarette-trick hadn't just been a lucky shot.   
  
Erik raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Nice. You know, I'm starting to suspect that you're not the good guy that everybody thinks you are," he remarked casually, but Jhonen would have none of that.  
  
"Talk," he said coldly, and Erik sighed.  
  
"Alright. We'll do it your fucking way. I'm a mutie, like you, and obviously, I'm dead."  
  
"No kidding," Jhonen mumbled under his breath. "Okay, now that we've settled that, what about my other question?" he asked, a little louder.  
  
"In one word? Revenge. I want to get even with the fuckers who did this to me."  
  
Okay, revenge. Jhonen could understand that. He might not agree with it, but he *could* understand it.  
  
"And you want me to do it for you," he guessed. "Sorry, but no can do. I'm one of the good guys, remember? I don't walk around and kill random people."  
  
"They aren't fucking 'random people'!" Erik almost shouted. "They're the goddamn FoHs!"   
  
"FoH or not, I don't kill people," Jhonen repeated through clenched teeth.  
  
"Do you know what they did to me?" Erik sneered. "They followed me into a bar, then drugged my beer to make sure I couldn't use my powers. Then they dragged me outside and into an alley."  
  
Jhonen fell silent, and Erik continued ruthlessly.  
  
"They were armed, you know, but they didn't want to waste a bullet on a mutie. Instead, they beat me until I was almost unconscious, and then left me to die. "  
  
Erik stepped closer, and his eyes glowed with barely contained fury.  
  
"Do you have *any* idea of what it feels like to be beaten to death? Do you? Did you know that you can feel every single blow and kick? Even when you're so much pain that you can't move anymore, you can still feel every single kick in the ribs, every single, fucking bone that breaks, until you're in so much pain that you just want it to stop...but it doesn't. And you're left alone to feel the pain intensify until your body slowly gives up...that doesn't hurt, you know. That's in a whole fucking other dimension of pain," he sneered.   
  
Jhonen felt a shiver down his spine. He didn't agree with violence, and hated hurting others, but this...this was inhumane. It wouldn't be violence - it would be justice, right? They deserved it, didn't they? He was supposed to protect the innocent, and even if Erik wasn't exactly an angel (pun intended), he didn't deserved what had happened to him.  
  
Nobody deserved that.  
  
"Okay...okay," he sighed. "If we meet any of the...persons...responsible, I'll help you get even. I won't kill them, but I'll figure something out...on the one condition that you stop trying to get us into trouble and help us out instead. We have problems enough as it is."  
  
Erik nodded and held out his hand.  
  
"Deal."  
  
Jhonen let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding, and then accepted Erik's hand.  
  
"Deal."  
  
***  
  
Coming up: To rescue or not to rescue...(another Guardians-centric chapter, but don't worry - after that, the Shadow Alliance will get a chapter of their own ;) 


	13. Escapes

Wow. It's been almost a month since I posted the first chapter. 66 pages, 24.000 words, and the end is nowhere in sight. That's gotta be a new record for me ;)

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net 

A/N 2: Yes, I'm well aware that this chapter focuses solely on the Guardians, but don't worry – all of the characters *will* get their fifteen minutes of fame. Trust me! *g* 

A/N 3: 'Update once or twice a week' flew away with the blizzard. Or actually, I'm trying to get you addicted and then make you go into withdrawals when my midterms start *eg*. So now it's 'update when I can, or until my muse goes on strike again'.

'...' Indicates telepathy

__

Italics indicates the emotions that Diana makes others feel through her powers 

***

Chapter Twelve: Escapes

***

'RYAN!'

The sudden, desperate scream made Ryan jerk the wheel in surprise. The car spun out of control, heading towards the ditch at an alarming speed, as Ryan frantically tried to regain control. Finally he succeeded and the car came to a screeching halt. Luckily, they had been alone on the relatively small road, so no one had seen the barely avoided crash. Ryan gasped.

"Fuck!"

"What the hell happened?!" Deirdre demanded, with a slightly shrill voice.

Ryan took a deep breath and tried to calm down a bit.

"It was Kyle," he breathed and rubbed his temples. "He screamed loud enough to give me a headache."

"Screamed? They're in trouble?" Ben asked worriedly and brushed a lock of brown hair out of his eyes.

Ryan shook his head.

"I'm not sure, but I'm going to find out."

He didn't wait for Ben's reply, just closed his eyes and surrendered himself to a hurricane of emotions. 

'Kyle? Kyle!'

There was no reply.

Ryan loosened his hold on reality and fell deeper into the hurricane. A chaotic madness of conflicting emotions tore in him, and tried to destroy his fragile lifeline. Hate, joy, pain, grief, insanity – it all merged and clawed at the edge of his sanity.

Ryan knew he wouldn't be able to fight it for long, so he had to hurry. 

'Kyle!'

And this time he was greeted with just the faintest hint of recognition, so faint that it was next to impossible to feel.

Unconscious. Kyle was unconscious.

Ryan felt a knot form in his stomach, but he pushed his fear aside and continued his search. Close. They were close. Cops. A police station. 

Ryan frowned. It could be a dozen different towns – he had to know the exact one. The faint presence of Kyle drew him further into the hurricane, but Ryan was beyond caring.

So close...just a little bit further...

Ryan gasped and drew away from the chaos, and back to the safety of the real world. 

"Well? What did you find?" Deirdre demanded.

Ryan felt a drop of sweat run down his cheek and he dried it off with a weak hand. 

"York. They're in the police station in York."

Ben nodded, and opened his door.

"We'll switch places. I'll drive."

Ryan was too tired to object.

***

"Fuck!" Suzuka cursed and looked at her two unconscious teammates. "Kyle, damnit, why did you have to do that?!"

Prue put a comforting hand on Suzuka's shoulders.

"The same thing happened to me when I tried to use my powers. Don't worry, he'll wake up soon," she said.

Suzuka sent her a doubting look, but didn't reply. Instead, she reached out and managed to move Kyle to a more comfortable position. Or at least as comfortable as it could get on the hard floor. She tried to move him away from the cold wall, but accidentally bumped her hip against the wall and bit back a scream.

"What's wrong?" Prue asked concerned.

Suzuka winced and loosened her pants enough to be able to examine the sore area.

"A bruise. I must've fallen in a bad angle," she replied through clenched teeth. "Hurts like hell."

Prue sighed and unconsciously touched her hip.

"Probably. I have one, too."

Suzuka's reply was cut off as a faint moan reached their ears, and both girls quickly crawled over to Jhonen.

"Jhonen? Come on, wake up," Suzuka whispered and brushed a lock of red-tipped, brown hair away from his face. 

"Suzu?" he mumbled.

Suzuka sighed relieved.

"Yes, and that's the only time you'll ever get away with calling me that," she replied jokingly. 

Jhonen smiled weakly.

"Good to be back."

Suzuka frowned.

"Where were you?" 

Jhonen opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again. He wanted to tell Suzuka about Erik, but the doubt started to nag him. They were the good guys – they weren't supposed to play avenging angels. *He* wasn't supposed to play an avenging angel. But he had given Erik his word, and he wasn't about to break it.

No, he had to keep it a secret, at least for the time being. He had to, no matter how much he hated secrets.

"No sure," he finally mumbled. "Not a nice place."

"Poor Jhonen," Suzuka said. 

Jhonen just sighed and tried to ignore the guilt that slowly settled as a knot in his stomach.

***

"This is it," Ryan said.

He and Diana stood in front of the deceptively beautiful building that housed the York police force. Deirdre was off to steal yet another car, to replace the one the cops had confiscated. Ryan still wasn't too fond of the idea, but again, he couldn't think of a better alternative. Ben had parked the other car across the street, and was ready pick them up at a moment's notice, in case they needed a quick getaway.

"Diana, if you can convince one of them to let us see the others, I *should* be able to manipulate them for long enough to get all of us out."

Diana nodded, and the duo walked through the heavy glass doors. One or two people looked at them, then went back to work.

"Over there," Diana said quietly and nodded toward a man in his early thirties. 

Ryan nodded slowly. Good choice – he was old enough to have some influence, but still young enough to be manipulated by Diana's powers.

They crossed the room with forced nonchalance, then stopped at the man's desk. The man looked up, and Diana quickly read his nametag.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

Diana sent him a dazzling smile.

"Actually, yes, you can. I'm Michelle Davidson."

The man smiled and motioned for Diana to sit down. She did so, and put on a slightly sad face.

"You see, officer Clarke, yesterday something terrible happened. My brother, Kyle, was out with a few of his friends. But what I didn't know was that those friends were really mutants. And now poor Kyle has been arrested, and he did nothing wrong! I've called my family's attorney, but I want to tell Kyle that I haven't forgotten about him, and that I'm doing all that I can to help him," Diana explained. 

__

Trust us. Trust us...

Clarke nodded slowly.

"And your companion is...?" he asked.

"My boyfriend, Michael," Diana replied.

__

Trust us. Trust us. Trustustrustustrustus.

Clarke nodded again.

"Kyle, you say? Well, we *did* capture three mutants in a motel last night. One of them *could* be your brother."

"Would it be possible for us to see him?" Diana asked persuasively.

Clarke frowned.

"Well, Miss Davidson, it's against the regulations, and-"

__

Trustustrustustrustus...

"...But I don't think it could hurt anyone," he corrected himself with a smile. "Follow me, and we'll find your brother."

Diana smiled thankfully, and the duo followed Clarke to the cells.

***

The door to the cell was opened, and Suzuka and Prue managed to move into something resembling a defensive stance, while Jhonen and Kyle remained on the floor, both too weak to fight.

"Thank God," Suzuka breathed as she saw whom their visitors were.

Ryan and Diana exchanged a look, and Ryan directed a small mind-bolt at Clarke. The man fell to the floor.

"Let's go," Ryan said. "Everyone alright? Kyle? Jhonen?"

Kyle nodded.

"Yeah...I'm fine. Got knocked out...for a moment...but I'm okay now."

Jhonen just nodded, but didn't elaborate.

Ryan supported Kyle with one arm, while Diana and Prue did their best to keep Jhonen on his legs.

"Ready?" he asked.

The others nodded, and Ryan took a deep breath. Once again he surrendered to the maelstrom of emotions, but this time he fought to remain in control. With the ease that comes only with practice, he reached out and took hold of the minds of the people in the building. He was vaguely aware that he was walking down the hallways with the others, but he forced himself to ignore it and trust his teammates to guide him.

They reached the entrance, and more than a few people looked up at the sight of their strange procession, but Ryan merely reached out and erased those particular memories. 

Finally they were out of the building. Ryan waited until they had crossed the street, then released the minds and took a relieved breath. 

"Hope you paid attention during your driver's lessons," he mumbled to Diana.

She looked at him questioningly, then realized what he meant. Next to Ben's car, Deirdre had parked their 'new' car – an old van of some sort, the kind with five seats and a big area in the back.

"I'm in no condition to drive, and neither is Kyle. Ben will handle the car, but we'll need you to drive the van."

"No problem," Diana replied, and hid a flicker of nervousness. Sure, she *did* have a driver's license, but she had never tried to drive a van before. Unfortunately, she didn't have a choice. Besides, if Deirdre – not having a license and being too young to drive – could do it, so could she.

"You guys take the lead, we'll follow," Ryan said. 

"Gotcha," Prue replied, and along with Suzuka, they managed to half-drag, half-carry Jhonen to the car. 

Oddly, no one found it strange that Prue stayed with them – it seemed logical that she would after the time they spent in the cell. Besides, right now they were in a hurry. The questions would come later, once they were safe.

Deirdre moved over so that Diana could take the driver's seat. Ryan somehow managed to get Kyle seated in the back, and fasten his seatbelt, then quickly got inside as well. 

It felt strange to suddenly have a barely conscious teammate to take care of. Under normal circumstances Ben would have healed the wounded ones, but in this case they had to get away. It was only a matter of time before someone discovered what had happened, and none of them wanted to be anywhere nearby when it happened.

In front of them Ben sped away, and after a brief look to check that Kyle was okay, Diana followed suit.

***

"Captain...the prisoners escaped," the young police officer reported nervously. 

"What?!" his superior demanded. The young man flinched, and the captain took a deep breath to calm down a bit.

"Okay...okay. At least tell me that the tracking devices are working."

"Yes, sir, they are," the young man reported. "Do you want us to pick up the muties immediately, sir?"

"No. Let's lull them into a feeling of safety, and let them think they got away with it. Then they'll be more likely to make mistakes," the captain explained and smiled briefly. "Who knows, we might even pick up a few of their friends..."

The young man took his cue and nodded.

"Yes, sir."

***

Coming up: Blade, Jordane, and Zach reach Pittsburgh and decide to take the night off. Unfortunately, things don't go exactly as planned...


	14. Power Plays

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: I do not encourage underage drinking. If nothing else, then because the hangovers are hell. Trust me on that (although you probably won't. In fact, you probably won't believe me until you experience your very first hangover. But that's okay – we all go through that at least once :P)

A/N 3: Yes, like most of the other new characters, Prue is going to be a semi-regular. Rina and Frank will show up again, too, but it will take a little longer. And trust me – we haven't heard the last from Erik, not by a long shot. 

Also, I haven't forgotten about the loose ends regarding Ryan and Blade, and Diana's sudden dizziness. Don't worry, in a few chapters, Ryan is pretty much forced to tell the truth. 

__

Italics indicates thoughts

***

Chapter Thirteen: Power Plays

***

Blade, Jordane, and Zach arrived at the motel shortly after noon. It was one of the more expensive ones, chosen because of its large rooms and fairly discreet location in the suburbs.

Blade checked in under an alias, and left the spare key to the room at the desk with the order to give it to 'some friends who'll be arriving later'. They had deliberately picked one of the few rooms big enough to house them all – it would be easier that way.

Zach opened the door and sighed at the sight of the big beds.

"Sleep," he mumbled and dropped his bag unceremoniously on the floor, before collapsing on the bed.

Jordane smirked, but quickly picked a bed of her own. 

Behind them, Blade locked the door, and closed the curtains. The room wasn't completely dark, but it would be dark enough to sleep in. He kicked his bag under the large table, then looked around. Zach and Jordane were already half sleep, and it was dubious that Laetitia and the others would arrive anytime soon.

Blade kicked off his booths, then stretched out on one of the soft beds and fell into a dreamless sleep.

***

It was just starting to get dark outside when Jordane woke up. It took her a moment to realize where she was, then another to realize that neither Blade nor Zach were awake yet.

She shook her head to clear her mind a bit, then grabbed some clean clothes and stumbled into the bathroom. The large mirror above the sink caught her attention and she stopped. Despite her cocky attitude and apparent confidence Jordane had never cared much for mirrors – she never liked when she saw in them.

She ran a hand through her hair, and studied her reflection with a slightly bitter taste in her mouth. The electric blue hair dye had started to fade, and left a dusty bluish color behind. The green tips were a bit less faded, but they, too, needed to be dyed again.

The artificial light made the crisscross of small scars on Jordane's arms stand out more than usual, and she looked away. In her pocket lay her ever-present small knife, and its weight had a strangely comforting effect on her. For a moment Jordane felt tempted to pull it out...it could help her. It always did. It unleashed her pent-up emotions without hurting anyone else, and left her with a rare feeling of...if not tranquility, then at least indifference. 

She wanted to, but...

The sound of movement in the main room alerted her to the fact that her teammates were awake.

Jordane sent the mirror one last hateful look, then quickly put on her clothes and walked out of the bathroom. As she entered the main room, Blade looked up. Jordane could feel his probing gaze linger on her arms, searching for any telltale red lines, but she forced herself to ignore it and continue to her bed.

Zach yawned and reluctantly got out of bed.

"Don't know 'bout you guys, but I need a night off," he said and put on some clean clothes. "There's gotta be a good club or something around here."

Jordane lit up at the prospect of a night out. It had been too long since she last had the chance to go on a pub-crawl (or clubbing in this case, since it was pretty stupid to pub-crawl in a town you didn't know).

She sent Blade a questioningly look. He frowned and slowly put on his clothes, while he considered their situation. It would probably be a while before the others showed up – a couple of hours, minimum – and this was a town where nobody would be able to recognize them.

He nodded slowly.

"Sure. Why not?"

Zach grinned and grabbed his jacket. Jordane smiled.

"Thanks."

Blade just nodded curtly and ran a hand through his hair. Zach wrote a quick note, then tossed the keys to Blade.

"Well, let's go. I can hear the Guinness calling."

***

The room was completely dark when Laetitia, Aaron, Hal, and Pheonix finally arrived. Laetitia turned on the lights and took a look around. Some bags were lying in the general vicinity of the table, and three of the beds showed clear signs of having been used. A piece of paper on the table caught Pheonix' attention, and she picked it up.

"'In town, will be back later'," she read. 

"Without us? That's not nice," Hal complained, but didn't sound too upset. She was too tired to go out, anyway.

Laetitia shook her head.

"Leave your stuff somewhere, and let's get something to eat. Knowing them, it can take a while before they get back."

There was a general agreement as they dumped their bags on the floor and headed for the nearest fast-food joint. 

***

The bar was actually rather cozy, despite of the fact that is was located in the more questionable part of town. After waving his fake ID card and scowling at the bartender, Zach quickly got his beer and left in search of some female entertainment. 

Jordane took a quick look around, then settled down at the bar, chatting with one of the bartenders. 

That left Blade alone to find a table in the corner and spend some much-needed time by himself. He wasn't social by nature, and he was in no mood for any drunk, female companions. One particular thickheaded woman started to move across the room, towards Blade's table, but a dark scowl made her change her mind.

Blade leaned back and took a drink of his glass of scotch. 

It was nice to be able to relax a bit after the last few, hectic days. He needed time to recharge, to get a good night's sleep, just like his team did. They couldn't afford to be exhausted when they were on the run. Exhausted people made mistakes, and mistakes could get them killed.

Across the room, Zach was chatting with a young woman, and Blade smirked. Red hair, low-cut top, nice figure – the kid had taste. 

Blade let his gaze wander across the room, until it finally settled on Jordane...who was no longer alone. Blade frowned. Next to her sat a man, slightly younger than Blade himself. Blond hair, a rather naive face, tight, blue sweater and light gray pants. Some bright orange drink with an umbrella in front of him.

Blade groaned mentally. 

Fuck. What a wimp. That wasn't a man – that was an overgrown kid that had nothing to do in a bar like this. 

The kid leaned closer to Jordane and whispered something. Jordane giggled, and Blade groaned again before taking another drink of scotch.

__

Melee, damnit, I though you had better taste than that, he thought and shook his head in disgust as the kid sent Jordane another childish grin. 

The kid leaned closer and put his hand on Jordane's knee. 

That did it. Blade downed the rest of his drink and stood up. The rational part of his mind told him that he had no right to get involved in Jordane's affairs, but as usual, he ignored it. He could have overlooked it if Jordane had been flirting with some human badass, but a human *wimp*? 

That guy didn't deserve to live – his sole purpose in life was to waste perfectly good oxygen. If Blade had dragged him outside and beat him up, he would have been doing humanity – and mutanity – a favor.

He approached the bar and Jordane looked up.

"Blade?" she asked surprised.

The kid looked up as well and all color drained from his face. Blade could be *very* intimidating when he wanted to be, and right now was one of those times.

"Beat it," Blade snapped and motioned towards the door. "She's with me."

The kid looked like he wanted to protest, but his survival instincts took over and he quickly got up.

"Blade!" Jordane objected. "You have no right to do that!"

"You work for me," Blade replied coldly. "That's all the right I need."

He looked at the kid who was still standing nearby.

"Why are you still here? Move it, dick."

The young man quickly left, and Blade smirked slightly. 

Jordane just sent him a look that would have made most other men run away screaming, then turned around and stalked out of the back entrance. Several people hurried out of her way - not bad for someone who was at least half a feet shorter than most of the other bar patrons. It was an obvious challenge, and not one Blade was going to turn down.

He cursed under his breath, then followed his wayward second in command.

***

The back entrance ended in a small alley that was only lit by the faint light of the neon-signs above the bars and clubs. Not that Blade minded. The alley was disgusting enough already; there was no need to make it any worse.

As he had expected, Jordane was waiting for him, standing with her hands on her hips in obvious defiance.

"Why the fuck did you chase him away?!" she demanded angrily. "I was having fun with him, damnit!"

Blade moved closer and crossed his arms, a gesture that only added to his already imposing figure. The black trenchcoat, the shoulder-long black hair, and the permanent pissed-off expression were the finishing touches to an image that was enough to make most humans back away in fear. Blade knew this, and exploited it ruthlessly.

Jordane, however, didn't back down, but settled for a challenging look.

"Well?" she demanded. "Was it because he was blond? Or was it the fact that he didn't look like he was going to kill anyone who looked at him wrong?!"

Blade sent her a cold look.

"I don't mind the fact that he was a loser, Melee. If you want to date some gutless dick-head, then fine by me. But as long as you work for me, you do NOT date humans! They are nothing but a pathetic race that got left behind when the rest of us evolved. You can obey those rules, or you can leave. The choice is yours." 

Jordane's eyes flashed with barely controlled rage, and Blade took a step closer. He cared about Jordane, but sometimes she was too rebellious for her own good. She had to learn to follow orders, and preferably before her temper got all of them killed.

"Do you really think you can take me on, Melee?" he asked in a low voice. Jordane unconsciously took a step back. "Even if you went into a berserker rage, I could take you down in a heartbeat. *Never* forget that."

Jordane's eyes darkened and she clenched her fists tightly, but didn't reply. Even though she knew that this was one argument she wouldn't win, she was still resisting, and Blade had to admire her stubbornness, even if he didn't agree with it.

The sudden flash of anger in the bluish-green eyes was the only warning Blade got, even with his powers to help him. Jordane stepped forward with a downright murderous look on her face, but Blade had years of training on her. Before Jordane could react, Blade had backed her against the wall and pinned her arms above her head. Jordane tried to get loose, but Blade was unrelenting. 

"Don't *ever* try to play with me, girl," he half growled. "You're out of your league."

Some of the anger seemed to disappear from Jordane's eyes, and she stopped her struggle to get loose. Two pairs of eyes – one pair ice blue, the other an odd bluish-green – locked, and the two found themselves trapped in a battle of wills.

Unable to look away, Jordane licked her suddenly dry lips and felt Blade's grip on her wrists tighten.

For a long moment neither moved. Then Jordane finally looked away, and Blade let go of her.

"Go get Zach. We're going back to the motel," he ordered curtly, and nodded at the door to the bar. 

Jordane didn't argue.

***

Coming up: The Guardians get to safety – or at least they think so.


	15. Silence Before the Storm

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters - ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net  
  
A/N 2: Short chapter, yes, I know, and it will not in some magical way grow any longer just because you remind me of its shortness in the reviews. The reason for the short chapter? Real life decided to make its grand entrance, and quite frankly, its timing sucked. The next chapter will be a bit late since I'm away for pretty much the entire weekend. Ahh, there's nothing quite like a girls' night out ;)  
  
***  
  
Chapter Fourteen: Silence Before the Storm  
  
***  
  
"...So I kind of created a hole in the floor. It was an accident, but my parents were suddenly terrified of me," Prue explained from her place on the couch. The team was gathered in a fairly big hotel room in McKeesport, and things were slowly starting to go back to normal - or as normal as it could get.   
  
Suzuka frowned. She was currently lying on her stomach on the floor while Ben examined the various bruises she'd gotten while in jail.  
  
"They kicked you out?" she asked. "Hey! Be careful," she complained as Ben accidentally pressed a bit too hard on her bruised hip.  
  
"Sorry," he mumbled absently, and continued the examination. He didn't have to examine her wound to heal it, but he preferred to know just what kind of injury he would get when he healed her.  
  
"No, I left three years ago, when I was sixteen. I couldn't stand their constant fear anymore," Prue replied and sighed.   
  
"Oh," Suzuka said and fell silent.   
  
Ben has listened to the conversation with half an ear, and found himself smiling at the casual atmosphere. In some odd way, it gave him hope - if they could survive a standoff with the Shadow Alliance, escape the police, and still be able to act like it was any other day, maybe things didn't look so dark after all.   
  
He rested his fingers on Suzuka's hips, then focused on the bruise. The blue and black slowly faded and was replaced by a healthy skin-color. Ben felt a hint of pain on his own hip, but ignored it and focused on Suzuka. The bruise got smaller, until the only mark left was a small, unnaturally straight line.  
  
Ben frowned, and ran his fingers across the bruise. A cut. There was a small, but apparently deep cut hidden underneath the bruise.  
  
"Ryan," he called.  
  
Ryan looked up from his place on the couch, then joined Ben next to Suzuka.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, I want to know, too," Suzuka added.  
  
Ben shook his head.  
  
"It's probably nothing, but there was a cut hidden beneath the bruise. A deep one. Looked like it was done deliberately."  
  
Suzuka tried to twist around enough to see the cut, but Ryan put a comforting hand on her shoulder.   
  
"Calm down - it's hard enough to see what it is without you moving around."  
  
Suzuka reluctantly lay down again, and watched with slightly nervous eyes as Ryan moved a lamp closer to give Ben a better view.  
  
Ben ran a finger over the newly healed skin, then motioned for Ryan to come closer. By then, the rest of the team had fallen silent and now watched the three with various degrees of confusion written on their faces.  
  
"There," Ben said and pointed at a faint, gray shadow on Suzuka's hip. "The gray thing. It's definitely not natural."  
  
Ryan took a closer look, then sighed.  
  
"Not, it's not. My guess would be a tracking device of some sort."  
  
"What?!" Suzuka demanded. "They put a tracker in me?!"  
  
"I think they did that to all of us," Kyle said. "We all have those bruises."  
  
"What are we going to do about them?" Diana asked. "We can't leave them where they are - it will only be a matter of time before the police show up."  
  
Ryan stood up, the frustration obvious on his face.  
  
"Kyle!"  
  
Kyle looked up.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Ryan motioned towards Suzuka, and Kyle crossed the room and sat down next to them.  
  
"We have to get those trackers out," Ryan said.  
  
Kyle immediately picked up the meaning behind the words.  
  
"Isn't there another way?" he asked, but Ryan just sighed  
  
"Can *you* think of any?"  
  
"...No," Kyle admitted, then turned around. "Seraphim, we're going to need one of your daggers. The sharpest one you've got."  
  
"What?!" Suzuka demanded. "What are you talking about?!"  
  
Ryan put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she calmed down a bit.  
  
"We have to get those trackers out somehow. Trust me, Suzuka - I'll use my powers to make you unconscious, and when you wake up again, the tracker will be gone and Ben will have healed the wound."  
  
Suzuka looked at him for a long time, then sighed.  
  
"We don't have a choice, do we?"  
  
"No," Ryan admitted.  
  
"Okay...okay. But if you mess up, I'm going kung-fu on your sorry behind, you got that?"  
  
Despite of the seriousness of the situation, Ryan smiled.  
  
"I got it," he replied. He reached out and touched her chin gently. "Go to sleep, Suzuka. Everything is going to be fine. I promise."  
  
Before he'd even finished the sentence, Suzuka had lost consciousness.  
  
***  
  
"Suzu? Suzuka?" a voice asked.  
  
"Mmmph!" Suzuka protested and tried to go back to sleep.  
  
"Suzuka!"   
  
Suzuka sat up with a groggy look on her face. She opened her eyes and found herself staring into Kyle's dark blue ones. He smiled.  
  
"Good to see that you're awake," he commented.  
  
"What...?" Suzuka mumbled, then gasped as the memories of the past day returned to her. "Oh, my God, the tracker - it is gone?"  
  
"It's gone," Kyle confirmed. "So is mine, and Jhonen's, and Prue's. We've been awake for a few minutes. You're quite a sleepyhead," he teased gently.  
  
Suzuka snorted and got up. She examined her hip carefully, but found no signs of neither tracker nor cuts.  
  
"What do you know? It worked," she commented.   
  
"Suzuka?" someone asked.  
  
Suzuka turned around.  
  
"Yes, Ryan?"  
  
"Good, you're aware. Could you help the others pack? I want us to get as far away from those tracing devises as we possibly can."  
  
Suzuka nodded.  
  
"Sure," she replied and stood up on slightly unsteady legs.  
  
Damn. Life hated her.  
  
***  
  
"Captain Braddox, sir?" a young police officer said.  
  
"Yes, Lieutenant Morrison?" the captain replied and walked to the young man's desk.  
  
"Something has happened to the tracers we put on the muties. They're showing a quick drop in temperature."  
  
"Damn! They must have discovered them!" Captain Braddox swore. "Okay...find out where the muties were when the tracers started to show that drop in temperature."  
  
"McKeesport, sir," the young man reported.  
  
The captain nodded.  
  
"Very well. Call the local police department and tell them to...deal with the muties."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
***  
  
"I got the money. Are we ready to leave?" Ryan asked and walked into the room where the rest of his team was busy packing their stuff. Not that there were much of it - Suzuka, Jhonen, and Kyle's bags had all been in the old car, so they'd have to buy some new clothes...which was one of the reasons why Ryan had decided to use his powers to get the hotel manager to return their money. It wasn't morally correct in any way, but sometimes one had to look at the big picture.   
  
"We are now," Kyle reported and closed the last of the bag.   
  
"I changed the license plates," Deirdre added. "Tossed the old ones in an alley. It should buy us some time."  
  
Ryan nodded. On some level it worried him that they were already so used to running from the police, but he knew that there was nothing he could do about it. And at least they didn't have to be on the run alone.   
  
He watched as Prue checked the room for anything they might have forgotten. The girl fitted right in. She would make a good addition to the team. Besides, he knew that she could be trusted - unknown to the others, he'd briefly scanned Prue's thoughts. No need to risk their lives by letting a snake into their home, after all.  
  
"Let's go," Ryan said.   
  
His teammates grabbed the various bags and headed for the door. Ryan had just about convinced himself that they had gotten out safely, that they would be able to get away before the cops showed up...and then his train of thoughts was interrupted as Jhonen ran up the stairs with a slightly panicked expression on his face.  
  
"It's the cops! They're here!"  
  
***  
  
Coming up: Laetitia and Blade have a discussion regarding the future, while Ryan 'fess up about his past. 


	16. A Matter of Trust

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: One week left until my four midterms, meaning that the chapters will come out slower. Now you're warned :P. 

SilentPegasus: They have all the license plates they need, otherwise they'll just steal some. It's not very hard to do that *g*

Artickitty: I'm honored that you're reading the fic, even though you don't have a character in it :) 

Maxwell Dark: Yup, there will be other pairings – both between already established characters, as well as characters that will be introduced later on (I just have to figure out *what* pairings ;)

Which reminds me – if any of you have any suggestions in regards to pairings, just tell me so, and I'll see what I can do to write it into the fic :)

__

Italics indicates thoughts

***

Chapter Fifteen: A Matter of Trust

***

Barely had the words left Jhonen's lips before Ryan's instincts took over. Thanks to countless practice sessions, he knew what to do to get his team out safely. Without Ryan even being aware of it, his mind was already studying the situation and choosing the best course of action.

"Seraphim, Tempest, pay attention. I'll knock out anyone who attacks us in here; Seraphim, I want you to temporarily blind those outside right before we exit the building; Tempest – stop the bullets if any of cops gets past us."

Deirdre and Kyle nodded, and Ryan turned to the others.

"The rest of you – grab the bags and follow us," he ordered. 

They grabbed the bags, and as it turned out, it wasn't a moment too soon. Downstairs, they heard the sound of a door being kicked open, followed by the sound of footsteps. 

Ryan waited until he was sure the cops were well inside in building, then concentrated on them. A moment later six bumps were heard as the humans collapsed on the floor. 

Luckily, their room was on the first floor, so it didn't taken them long to get downstairs. Ryan motioned towards the door, and Deirdre nodded. She didn't have to use much strength to send the cops into a state of confusion – the sudden change from dark night to bright day would be more than enough to leave the humans disoriented for long enough to get away.

Around her, the other mutants closed their eyes and looked away. Deirdre smiled grimly and focused on the pale light from the few lampposts in the area. She held the light in a mental grip, then released it in a sudden blaze, lighting up the entire area.

Ryan could feel the confusion outside without even trying, and motioned towards his team.

"Let's move it, people!"

They hurried outside and past the cops. One of the humans managed to a shot off, but Kyle stopped the bullet before it could cause any harm, and the cop was knocked unconscious by a mindbolt before he could fire a second shot.

The team reached the cars and quickly split up. 

"We'll lead," Ryan told Kyle, who nodded.

Ryan got into the first car, and started the engine. 

"Where're we going?" Deirdre asked.

"Pittsburgh," Ryan replied. Big town, lots of places to lay low – it was perfect.

He waited for a brief second to make sure that Ryan was ready in the other car, then sped away from the hotel, followed by Kyle.

***

The night was silent. Calm and silent.

Almost ironic, actually, considering what they'd been through for the past few days. Blade, Jordane, and Zach had gotten back to the motel without any incidents. The only thing that hinted that something had changed was the slightly tense atmosphere between Blade and Jordane, but Zach had been too drunk (or more likely too smart) to comment on it. 

When the three had returned, the others were already asleep, with the exception of Laetitia. It didn't take Blade long to realize that something was wrong – you didn't survive as a mercenary for almost a decade by ignoring your instincts – so he waited until Jordane and Zach were asleep, then motioned for Laetitia to come outside.

"Out with it," he ordered coldly.

For a short moment Laetitia considered lying to him, but decided against it. There were some basic rules when you worked for Blade – one, you didn't piss him off. Two, you didn't lie. Three, you did as you were told, no questions asked. If you broke rule two or three, you would also automatically break rule number one.

None of them wanted that to happen. When Blade got pissed, people died. It was that simple. They died, and Blade could get away with it, because damnit, he had business partners among Mafiosi and hitmen alike, and a bank account that could pay for their favors. And not even a trained assassin like Laetitia was brave – or stupid – enough to go against someone like that.

"The feds are on to me," she admitted. "One month...two at the most."

Blade nodded, and although Laetitia knew that he was surprised, he didn't show it.

"Laying low for a while?" he asked.

Laetitia shrugged.

"I'd prefer not to, but I might not have a choice."

Blade nodded again.

"There's more, isn't there?" he asked.

Laetitia looked down for a second before answering. What she was about to ask him would require a lot of convincing and more than a little bit of luck.

"Yes. There is. I need...I need to ask a favor of you."

"A favor?" Blade asked, and this time there was just the faintest hint of amusement in his voice.

Laetitia nodded.

"Yes. It's about Pheonix."

Blade motioned for her to continue, and Laetitia took a deep breath.

"If the feds get too close and I have to leave, I want you to take care of Pheonix. And I don't mean keeping her on the team, because we both know that she's too young for this shit. I want you to send her to a boarding school somewhere – Japan, or Brazil, or somewhere like that. Blade, I wouldn't ask you unless I had no other choice, you know that."

Blade raised an eyebrow.

"That's quite a favor you're asking," he noted.

Laetitia closer her eyes briefly.

"I don't a choice. I care about that girl, and I don't want to see her end up like me."

Blade was silent for a long time, weighing the pros and cons of Laetitia's request. Finally he nodded.

"I must be losing my mind, but...alright. Let's call it an extra payment for the time you've worked for me."

Laetitia drew a relieved breath.

"Thank you."

Blade just sighed.

"Get some sleep, Nike. It's been a long day."

***

It was past midnight when the Guardians finally found a suitable motel in Pittsburgh. Tired, both mentally and physically, most of the team had gone to sleep almost immediately, relying on luck to get them safely through the night.

Luck, and Ryan and Diana, although none of the sleeping mutants knew that their leader and second in command were still awake.

Ryan sent his sleeping team a look, then walked out on the surprisingly wide balcony. Diana only hesitated for a heartbeat, then followed him.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" she asked and closed the door behind them.

Ryan sighed.

"It's a long story, D."

"We have time," Diana replied.

"I wouldn't even know where to start," Ryan pointed out.

"Maybe with the beginning," Diana said softly. "What happened? Why did I suddenly become so dizzy? Was it one of Blade's powers? And what did he mean when he said that you'd grown up?"

Ryan shook his head.

"You don't give up, do you? Okay...okay. To answer the easy question first – no, Blade was not to blame for your dizziness. At least not directly," he added under his breath.

"Then who was?" Diana asked.

Ryan smiled bitterly, and not for the first time Diana wondered just how much Ryan hid beneath the confident surface.

"Me," he replied. 

"You? But you can't-"

"You don't know me, Diana. You don't know anything about me," Ryan interrupted sharply.

The shock was clear on Diana's face, and Ryan immediately regretted his outburst.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap."

He paused, but Diana remained silent.

"When I was younger – a year older than you – I had another power. I could drain other people's strength. Not the physical strength, but the mental. Make them so confused and disorientated that they couldn't remain on their feet. My control was weak, almost non-existent, but since it was a rather weak power, that small bit of control was enough," Ryan explained.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Diana inquired. There were no accusations in her voice, just simple curiosity.

"Honestly...I thought I'd lost it," Ryan admitted.

"How could you lose one of your powers?" Diana asked confused. "I mean, you can't just lose a power - it has to be suppressed, doesn't it? I mean, there must have been a reason why you suddenly stopped using it. Was it a traumatic event or something?"

For a long moment Ryan looked like he was going to answer Diana's question. Then he sighed frustrated and shook his head.

"It's not important," he finally said.

Diana shook her head in disagreement.

"It is, Ryan. No more secrets. Tell me what happened."

Diana's words were soft, but still it was more of an order than a request. Ryan sighed. He didn't have to tell her anything, but...he owed it to her, didn't he? She trusted him; the least he could do was to tell her the truth.

Ryan turned around and just watched the lights of the city. So dark, so chaotic...so easy to just disappear forever. He shook his head.

"I was seventeen the first time I met Blade. I'd been on the road for a couple of years – three maybe – and I'd somehow winded up in Atlanta," Ryan began, never turning around. 

Behind him, Diana leaned against the wall and listen intently. Ryan rarely spoke of his time on the road – personally, she thought it was because he was embarrassed of the things he'd done, but she couldn't be sure. No one really knew what went on inside Ryan's head.

"Blade must have been around twenty, I guess. He wasn't that much different from now, you know," Ryan confided. "A bit less in control, maybe, and certainly a lot less watchful, but all-in-all, he was already the homicidal psychopath that most people have learned to fear."

Ryan paused briefly before continuing.

"Anyway, I'd somehow ended up in Atlanta. It was in May, a couple of months before the first elections to the Council. There was a senator visiting the town at that time – Morris. Christopher Morris."

Diana's eyes widened slightly.

"I think I've heard about him. He was killed, wasn't he?" she asked.

Ryan's grip on the railing tightened.

"Yes. He was," he replied with a frightening lack of emotions.

Diana fell silent, and after a moment, Ryan continued his tale.

"I was standing on the roof of one of the buildings, watching the parade they had arranged for the senator...and suddenly I felt a faint tingling in the back of my neck, like when you know that someone is nearby. I looked around and saw someone hiding behind one of the large ventilation systems. Being the curious teenager I was, I had to take a closer look."

Again he paused and seemed to re-play an inner movie that only he could see.

"That someone turned out to be Blade, armed with a sniper's rifle. Even to someone as young as me, his intentions were obvious."

"And then he noticed that you were there?" Diana guessed

Ryan shook his head.

"No. Like I said, he was a lot less watchful than now. He must have thought that he was safe on the roof because he was completely absorbed in his...assignment."

Ryan paused and laughed; a short, bitter laughter that sent a small shiver down Diana's spine.

"Back then, I was arrogant in the way that only teenagers can be. I was sure I could handle anything, assassins included. I could have knocked him out with a mindbolt. Sure, I wasn't in complete control, but there was no one else around I could have hit."

He paused and sighed.

"But I didn't. In my infinite arrogance, I wanted him to know who'd done it. I wanted him to see the man – boy – who had been able to best him. I used my ability to drain his strength...and it should have worked. If he'd been a normal person, I could have brought him to his knees before he could have fired even a single shot."

"But Blade isn't a normal person," Diana reminded him quietly.

Another bitter laugh before Ryan continued.

"No...he isn't. And he was able to fight me for long enough to pull the trigger. I was so shocked that I lost my mental grip on him, and his strength started to return. I desperately hoped that the bullet had missed...but it hadn't. Morris had been hit in the shoulder...and for the briefest of seconds I thought that I'd succeeded after all, that Morris would live."

Ryan trailed off, and Diana put a hand on his shoulder.

"What happened then?" she asked softly.

"...I learned that Blade never leaves anything to chance. The tip of the bullet was hollow."

"Poison?" Diana guessed. Maximum destruction, follow by lethal poisoning...

__

That man is sick.

"Yes. Some industrial product – a deadlier version of cyanide," Ryan confirmed. "They took him to the hospital, but..."

He trailed off, but the meaning was clear.

__

Oh, God. And he's kept this to himself all this time? Diana thought. _No wonder he's obsessed with getting even with Blade._

"I checked the reports later," Ryan continued impassively. "It took him nine hours and forty-six minutes to die. He suffered for almost ten hours...because of my goddamn pride."

"You didn't-"

"-Pull the trigger?" Ryan interrupted, and his voice held a note of hollow amusement unlike anything Diana had heard before. "I told that to Blade, you know. He replied that I might as well have. And he was right. I condemned Morris to a slow, agonizing death...just because I was arrogant."

"So you made a mistake...tough luck. It happens. We all screw up at some point - no one is perfect, you know," Diana replied, but her words sounded meaningless even to her own ears.

Ryan smiled, but it was an empty smile that never quite reached his eyes.

"Sure...we all shrew up. The difference is, I got someone killed." 

He turned around and headed inside the hotel room again before Diana had the chance to reply. She shook her head in quiet shock, then walked to the railing and watched the pulsating city. There were more questions to ask – how he'd survived after Blade had discovered him, for one – but right now, she didn't care. She'd gotten the first pieces of the complex puzzle that was Ryan's past, and for the moment that was enough.

Diana watched the lights of the city and mentally replayed the conversation with Ryan. First once, then twice, until she knew every word by heart and could have recited it in her sleep. Spread out before her, the city vibrated with life, unaware of events it had been witness to. 

It took several hours before Diana finally headed inside.

And only then did she discover that Ryan was gone.

***

A/N 3: To those who had hoped for some dark, criminal past for Ryan – sorry to disappoint you, but it's been done so many times before. I wanted to show that he makes mistakes, just like everyone else. And in this case, he actually was to blame – at least partially. No need to leave him angry and brooding because of something he couldn't have prevented, anyway ;)

Coming up: Ryan and Blade decide to settle things once and for all. Unfortunately, something goes wrong, and both teams have to deal with the consequences.


	17. 2nd Interlude: There Comes a Point

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: Yup – it's another one of those interludes. This one runs simultaneously with the end of chapter fifteen. This means that it takes place right after Ryan left Diana on the balcony, and after Blade told Laetitia to go back inside and get some sleep, but before Diana discovered that Ryan had left. Confused yet? No? Damn.

__

Italics indicates telepathy 

***

Second Interlude: There Comes a Point...

***

Ryan stepped inside the silent motel room and rubbed his temples.

Fuck. Why did Diana always ask questions he didn't want to answer?

Fuck!

Until the conversation with Diana, he'd actually thought that he'd gotten over the events in Atlanta...or at least as much as he could. Okay, if he had to be honest, he wasn't over it – far from – but he'd learned to live with it.

But to actually tell the story to another person...

It had opened the gates to a furious river of suppressed emotions, ranging from burning hatred, to soul-wrecking guilt. Ryan clenched his fists and tried to get the emotions back under control, but it was impossible.

They coursed through his veins, burned their way through his soul, until they found the only possible outlet.

__

BLADE! 

Ryan's mental shout was based solely on instincts, and not rational thoughts. Instincts, hate, the need for revenge...all combined in a single thought that he somehow knew would find its target.

__

Cretes...

Blade's reply was cold, but Ryan could feel the surprise clearly through the mindlink, and he smiled grimly. Rarely did anyone catch Blade Heron by surprise, and yet Ryan had managed to do so not once, but twice.

No wonder Blade wanted him dead.

__

So you're in Pittsburgh, Ryan noted.

__

Yes. Does this conversation have a point, or did you just want to get some more people killed? Blade replied in a malicious tone.

Against his will, Ryan flinched slightly at the harsh words and felt Blade's smug satisfaction through the link.

__

Drop the childish games, Ryan snapped. _I have a proposition for you._

The smug satisfaction faded and was replaced by a hint of cold curiosity.

__

You have my attention.

Ryan ignored Blade's arrogance, and quickly checked that Diana was still outside and that the others were asleep. 

__

We have some unfinished business, and I think we both know that as long as our teams are nearby, we're not going to get the chance to finish it.

__

Get to the point, Cretes, Blade ordered. He had already guessed what Ryan was proposing, but decided to play with his opponent a little longer. Games pissed Ryan off, and pissed off people were more likely to make mistakes.

__

There's an abandoned steel plant in the suburbs south of the town. We'll meet there and settle this, without any teammates to get in the way.

Blade waited a moment before he replied, but his interest was obvious.

__

What's the address? Blade asked.

Ryan told him, and Blade thought things over for a few moments. The others were asleep, so there would be no one to show up at exactly the wrong time. And Ryan would be there, alone, with no teammates to save his sorry ass, and no cops to interfere just when things were getting interesting.

__

All right, Cretes. We have a deal. Be at the plant in thirty minutes. 

Ryan nodded, although Blade couldn't see it. Thirty minutes – he would have to hurry, but on the other hand neither of them would be able to get there fast enough to prepare any nasty surprises. 

He gently reached out with his mind, and with a few, careful thoughts he convinced Diana to stay outside for a little while longer.

__

Think about what happened, Diana. Think things through. Relax. Enjoy the warm night, he whispered in her mind, and Diana accepted the thoughts as her own.

Ryan grabbed his coat, sneaked out of the room, and closed the door quietly behind him.

***

Blade quickly checked the map to find the shortest route to the plant, then instinctively checked that that his guns were still in their holsters. 

He put on his trenchcoat, then slowly let his gaze wander across the room. Everyone appeared to be asleep, but there was something...his eyes settled on a mess of blue and faded green hair.

"I know you're awake, Jordane," Blade said quietly, careful not to wake up the others.

Jordane opened her eyes and pushed the covers aside, revealing the loose, black T-shirt she used at night.

"Where are you going?" she asked in an equally low voice.

Blade silently debated how much to tell her, then quickly wrote down the address on a piece of paper. It wasn't because he was afraid that something would go wrong, it was more because he wanted to ensure that Jordane wouldn't do anything foolish like trying to follow him on her own. Nineteen-year-old girls should not be driving around on their own in the middle of the night, especially not during times with mutant hysteria. 

"I have some business to take care off. I'll be back later. *Don't* follow me," he ordered briskly.

Jordane looked away, no doubt remembering their argument in the alley, and Blade handed her the address.

"Go back to sleep, Melee," Blade said quietly. 

Jordane watched him cross the room, and open the door. He sent her a stern look, then closed the door silently behind him.

"Where is he going?" someone hissed quietly.

"Fuck!" Jordane muttered. "Aaron, damnit, don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry. Well...where is he going?"

Jordane glared at him.

"He didn't say. Just said something about some business to take care of," she replied and toyed absently with the small piece of paper.

Aaron looked thoughtfully at the closed door. 

"And we're going to stay here like he told us to?" he asked.

Jordane snorted.

"Like hell we aren't. Let's give him a ten minutes head start, and then you and I are gonna go on a little trip to see Pittsburgh by night." 

Aaron just smirked and grabbed a pair of jeans.

***

Coming up: Ryan and Blade are determined to settle things once and for all, but not even they know what the consequences will be...


	18. Showdown

To Rune, for the inspiration. You have a truly warped mind, babe, and that's what I love about you. 

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: WritingMoose: *Blinks* Really? I thought only people whose characters were accepted read these things. *Shrugs* I guess we really do learn something new every day ;)

J.DeLuca: No way, sugar! I might not be terribly fond of my 'puter, but I can write on it, and it gets me on the 'Net, and that's good enough for me ;)

A/N 3: Regarding the future interludes – anyone got anything they want to see? It can be the history of a character, a small, romantic moment, a character-building chapter for one of the less-seen characters...anything. Any suggestions can be left in the reviews – and don't worry. I don't bite...much ;)

__

Italics indicates thoughts

Oh, and just to remind you – Blade has some weak, telepathic abilities. Not so strong that he can influence people's minds, or talk telepathically to another, but strong enough to make him able to predict an opponent's moves pretty accurately. Ryan, being a lot stronger in that regard, naturally has the same abilities – unfortunately, he often ignores them in favor of a fair fight.

***

Chapter Sixteen: Showdown

***

Exactly twenty-six minutes later Ryan parked the stolen van in front of the abandoned plant. He got out and took a long look around...and ever so slowly started to suspect that maybe this wasn't the greatest idea he'd ever had.

The place wasn't unnerving – it was downright scary. Hazardous, too, with all the torn piece of twisted, corroded metal, remains from a time when the economy was prospering, and mutants were not legal prey. 

Ryan intended to scan the area and look for Blade, but didn't get the change to do so before a voice broke the silence of the night.

"So...you actually showed up. I'm impressed."

Ryan spun around and saw Blade materialize from the shadows.

"Of course I showed up," Ryan snapped and took a step closer. His rational mind screamed at him to get the hell away from there, but he pointedly ignored it.

"And you're alone...no team to haul your sorry ass out of the fire this time," Blade continued with a cruel smirk. "Good...very good."

Even thought Ryan knew that Blade was only trying to intimidate him, the cold confidence still made his determination falter. In many ways this was exactly like that day in Atlanta six years earlier...with the one difference that this time Ryan was prepared and knew what to expect from his opponent.

"Drop the games, Blade. You don't scare me...not anymore."

Blade took a step closer.

"I'm getting tired of you, Cretes. I should have killed you in Atlanta when I had the chance, but then again...it wouldn't have been nearly as challenging," Blade half-growled.

"Well, in that case you fucked up," Ryan spat. "Because I'm not going to die anytime soon."

Blade just smirked and drew his guns, and Ryan felt a rush of adrenaline. He had no doubt that Blade would kill him in a heartbeat...but for the moment, it appeared that Blade intended to play fair. He tossed the guns aside, not even bothering to check where they landed.

The message was clear – no weapons. No deliberate use of powers. 

Ryan was well aware that this would give Blade the advantage – he was bigger, and he was stronger. On the other hand Ryan's powers had become such an integrated part of his mind that he used them without even thinking about it. So maybe this would be a reasonably fair fight after all.

Ryan held out his knife, then tossed it in the general direction of the guns. Blade watched the movement, then sent Ryan a ruthless smile.

"Oh, you're going to die today, Cretes. Don't doubt that for a second...or did you honestly think that you could take me on and win?"

And only then did Ryan realize his mistake – he had evaluated Blade's skills based on their previous encounters, but he had failed to see one thing: Blade had never fought him as an equal...

He'd been holding back.

***

"I hope you know where we're going," Jordane noted from her place in the driver's seat.

Next to her, Aaron quickly checked the map.

"Don't worry, I do. We're about halfway," he replied. "Turn left next time."

"Gotcha," Jordane said, and sped up a bit. The roads were all but deserted, so she saw no use in obeying the rules.

Aaron shook his head.

"Blade is going to kill us for this, you know that, right?"

Jordane just smirked.

"Don't be such a pessimist – we'll worry about that when we get there."

***

The first strike came out of nowhere, catching Ryan completely by surprise. He ducked in the nick of time, and lashed out at Blade, hoping to catch the other unaware...but no such luck. Blade deflected Ryan's kick with an almost mocking ease, and the two opponents slowly circled each other.

__

Powers. He's using his powers to predict my moves, Ryan realized. _Well, two can play that game._

Blade attacked again, but this time Ryan was ready and responded with a well-placed kick. Thanks to Blade's quick reflexes Ryan missed his target, but he had already made his point – he might have underestimated Blade, but he did not intend to go down without a fight. 

The two slowly circled each other, looking for any signs of vulnerability, and found none.

At the edges of his mind Ryan felt that Blade was preparing another attack, and decided to beat him to it. Drawing on everything he'd learned from Suzuka, and several years of street fighting, he spun around and kicked at Blade, but hit nothing but air. His every instinct screamed at him to duck or get out of the way, but it was too late.

Halfway through his counterstrike Ryan felt sharp pain in his left shoulder as he failed to deflect Blade's next attack, and he momentarily lost his breath.

Again the two took a step back to re-evaluate their tactics, and Ryan used the short break to check his shoulder. Sure, it hurt, but the pain was already fading. He knew he'd been lucky, though – that strike had been aimed at his throat, and had been delivered with enough strength to crush the fragile bones and muscles. 

Again Ryan attacked, and this time he almost managed to hit his opponent. He spun around, determined to take Blade down-

-And found himself facing two very deadly looking knives.

A new rush of adrenaline coursed through his body, sending his pulse through the roof. Ryan took a step back and watched with dawning fear as Blade moved closer with the knives ready.

__

Fuck.

"You're too naïve, Cretes," Blade said in a downright frightening voice. Cold, almost hypnotic, like a snake ready to strike...but underneath it lay a disturbing eagerness as victory – and Ryan's death – was within reach.

Ryan felt the attack fragments of a second before Blade lashed out with the knives. The sudden strike would have killed an ordinary man, but Ryan quickly moved out of the way and felt a gush of air near his ear as one of the knives tore through the air.

He jumped back, and watched Blade carefully. His fast breathing set his throat on fire with every new breath, but he forced himself to ignore the discomfort. Ignore it, and stay alive.

Blade lashed out again, and once again Ryan managed to avoid the knives – but just barely. He took a step back, and as he watched Blade prepare for another attack, he knew he had only one choice left.

Blade had broken the rules – so could he. Could, and would. Otherwise it would only be a matter of time before the knives found their target.

For the third time Blade attacked, but this time Ryan was ready. He ducked, and lashed out with his powers. It was a reaction based solely on instinct. He had never received any training, and thus had no idea what the result of his actions might be.

If he *had* received the proper training, he would have known that two telepaths, trying to read each other's minds, as well as protect their own at the same time, could cause considerably problems.

But unfortunately, no one had been around to train Ryan, so he defended himself the only way he could - he used his telepathy to force himself past Blade's shields in order to stop the attack.

The result was more devastating than he could ever have imagined. 

A flash of pain tore through his mind, clawing at the inside of his head and sending thousands of invisible needles into his nerves. It felt like someone had set off a mental bomb inside his head, and Ryan screamed. 

Had he been able to focus on anything besides the pain he felt, he would have realized that he wasn't the only one in agony – Blade, too, felt the consequences of the telepathic attack and collapsed on the ground, screaming as the sudden pain tore through his mind.

The pain intensified, and within seconds both men were unconscious.

***

Blade was the first of them to regain consciousness. He opened his eyes and groaned as he became aware of the splitting headache he had. After a few attempts he managed to sit up, but not without considerable pain.

He slowly scanned the area and found Ryan hidden in the shadows, apparently still unconscious. At least he thought it was Ryan – in the dark, twisted shadows it was hard to see exactly who the person was. 

Blade somehow managed to get on his feet, and only then did he realize that something was...off. The headache made it hard to think, but even through the pain it was obvious that something was very wrong. He felt weak – weaker than he usually was after a battle, even if he had been fighting a telepath. In fact, his entire body felt...different, somehow.

Blade half-stumbled to one of the clear, black puddles on the ground and collapsed next to it. He ignored the headache and moved closer to the dark mirror, determined to find out what the hell had happened to him.

The pale moonlight illuminated his face just enough to create a clear image in the small pond, and Blade leaned close enough to get a good look...and only then did he discover what had happened.

Because the face that stared back at him was Ryan's.

***

Coming up: Blade is Ryan and Ryan is Blade? Just what the hell is going on? What is going to happen when Aaron and Jordane show up? And will I ever write a chapter that doesn't end with a cliffhanger? Until next time, folks ;)


	19. Twisted Nights

Random fact of the day: The Metal Gear Solid 2 soundtrack is excellent for this kind of fic-writing ;) *Bows and worships mp3 files*

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2:

XFreakx: 'Jerkier'? Well, the guy isn't exactly sane, you know *eg* And thank you for reviewing – one gotta love reviews ;)

SilentPegasus: Don't be too mad at Ryan – the guy expected a fair fight, after all. It's not his fault that Blade despises rules ;)

Maxwell Dark: Evil? Who, *me*? Impossible! *cough* Oh, and if I figure out a way to work it in, would you mind if I hooked Zach up with Deirdre?

Anonymous: Don't worry, there *will* be a Hal centred interlude later on (can't say exactly when, but it'll be there). Hal and Aaron are just very good friends – Hal will be hooked up with a new character later on. And yes, in a way she is a bit like Jubilee – she hides an awful lot of pain beneath the confident/careless facade.

__

Italics indicates thoughts

***

Chapter Seventeen: Twisted Nights

***

The abandoned plant was eerily silent when Jordane and Aaron arrived. They had passed Blade's car, and an old van, but there was no sound of footsteps, no talking, no fighting...no sign that anyone was there.

Something was wrong. 

Aaron and Jordane exchanged a look, and slowly continued, frequently stopping to make sure that they wouldn't walk into an ambush of some sort. They expected an attack any moment...

...But none came. 

It appeared that they were completely alone. Utterly, completely alone, and for some reason this only served to make the duo even more nervous. 

"You sure this is the right address?" Jordane mumbled.

"It's the address Blade gave you," Aaron whispered back. "Who knows if he gave you the right one."

Jordane shook her head slightly.

"I think he did. He didn't-"

Aaron held up a scaled hand, and Jordane fell silent. She concentrated, and then she heard it, too – the sound of slow footsteps.

They sneaked closer, careful to stay in the shadows. This way they hoped to keep the element of surprise on their side – after all, they were only two, and neither had very destructive powers.

They crept around a corner – and found themselves staring at a wide, relatively empty, area. At the opposite site a shadowy figure was kneeling next to a small pond. He moved slightly and the moonlight shone directly into his eyes, but he didn't react. He just stared at the mirror image in the pond.

"Cretes," Aaron hissed. 

"So that's who Blade was gonna meet," Jordane whispered.

"Speaking on which...where is he? He hates Ryan – he wouldn't just let him go, would he?"

"Fuck!" Jordane muttered and nodded at an unmoving form a bit away. "I found him."

Aaron followed her eyes. It was Blade, all right – unconscious, judging from the slow movement of his chest with every breath.

"That asshole!" Jordane hissed and glared hatefully at Ryan. "That fucking asshole!"

"Jordane, no!" 

Aaron tried to stop her, but it was too late – Jordane had already lost control, and was now far too strong for Aaron to handle.

"What the hell did you do to him, you fucking bastard!?!" Jordane screamed. 

***

The sudden scream interrupted Blade's thoughts, and only then did he discover that he wasn't alone at the plant. It took him less than a second to realize the seriousness of the situation - Jordane had lost control and fully intended to kill the person she thought was Ryan. And Blade was still too drained to fight her for long.

Under normal circumstance he could have defeated her, but now...

__

No! _Not now, Melee. Not now, damnit!_

Blade stood up and forced himself to ignore the thundering headache. He would have only one chance to take down Jordane, and wasting it would be a bad idea.

Jordane came closer, the fury obvious on her face. When in berserker-mode, she grew considerably stronger and faster, but after knowing her for almost four years, Blade was very familiar with her vulnerabilities...namely the fact that in situations like this, she was too furious to even consider watching her back. When she lost control, she aimed for destruction, not for finesse, and that was probably the one thing that could save Blade's life.

Jordane attacked, and Blade got out of the way in the nick of time. She turned around, ready to attack again-

-And for the briefest of seconds, she let her guards down.

Blade reacted instantly and took her down with a well-placed kick. He pinned her to the hard ground, but it was only a temporary setback for Jordane. With her strength it would only be a matter of seconds before she got loose, and Blade had to get through to her before that happened.

"Stop it, Melee, damnit!" he barked. "Snap out of it, girl! Melee!"

The words found their way through Jordane's rage, and she slowly started to realize something – the man who had just defeated her might look like Ryan, but he behaved nothing like the leader of the Guardians. His words, his fighting-style, his hard expression – definitely not Ryan. If anything, he behaved like-

"Blade?" she whispered, almost disbelieving, and she stopped her furious struggle.

Blade slowly got up and rubbed his temples. The energy he'd needed to fend off Jordane's attack had caused the headache to intensify, and quite frankly, he felt like shit. Jordane got up again as well, all the while watching him carefully.

"Yeah," he finally replied. "It's me."

"But you're-he's...what happened?" Aaron asked confused.

Blade sighed and sat down on a pile of old concrete blocks.

"Long story. Short version – as far as I can tell, Ryan fucked up and caused a mindswitch."

Aaron and Jordane turned to look at Blade's – Ryan's – still unconscious body.

"So that's Ryan?" Aaron hissed.

"Yes," Blade replied, and rested his head in his hands.

"And what are we gonna do about that?" Jordane asked.

Blade sighed again.

"I have no idea."

Aaron frowned.

"Can't you just..." he trailed off and made a small, dismissing motion with his hand. "You know...?"

"No, I can't," Blade replied, slightly annoyed. "First of all I have no idea of what the hell Cretes did – hell, I don't even think *he* knows – and secondly, that headache he gave me pretty much prevents any use of telepathic power."

"Should we bring him back with us?" Jordane asked. "He might be useful to us."

"Bad idea – the Guardians would come looking for him as soon as they discovered that he was missing," Aaron disagreed. "I say we wake him up and make him say what he did to cause this. Then we can wait until the headache is gone and you can reverse the process," he told Blade.

"But who knows how long it'll take before the headache is gone?" Jordane objected. "Couldn't we-"

"Quiet! Both of you," Blade snapped, the pain making him even more short-tempered than usual.

Aaron and Jordane immediately shut up.

"Since I'm stuck in this body, I might as well use it to my advantage," Blade said, and sent his new body a rather disgusted look.

"Infiltrate the Guardians?" Aaron guessed.

"Exactly."

"Are you sure? I mean, you're still weak from the fight, and you don't even know where the Guardians are staying," Jordane objected.

"I'll wait for a while before I leave – regain some of my strength. As for the other problem...Aaron!" Blade ordered. "Search the van. See if there's anything that hints to their location."

Aaron nodded and hurried back to the cars.

"Are you sure about this, Blade?" Jordane asked concerned. "If they discovered the truth, they could-"

"-They couldn't do anything. I'd stun them and leave," Blade reassured her. The hidden meaning wasn't lost on Jordane – stun them, kill them, whatever worked. Blade wasn't picky.

Jordane bit her lower lip.

"Just...be careful."

"I will," Blade promised. 

Quick footsteps signalized Aaron's return, and the two turned around.

"Got it!" Aaron reported and tossed something to Blade. The black-haired mutant caught it midair, then opened his hand and looked at a set of keys. 

"'Holiday Inn, Pittsburgh'," he read and smirked. "And they even provided us with an address...how nice of them."

"Where and when are we gonna rendezvous?" Jordane asked.

"Chicago, in three days," Blade replied. "That's long enough to cause some trouble, but short enough to prevent too much suspiciousness." 

"Where, exactly?" Aaron asked. "Chicago is big." 

Blade frowned.

"Melee, do you remember the motel we stayed in when we had to lay low?"

"The Chinese one downtown, after the deal with..." she trailed off and sent Aaron a quick look. "The one we stayed in three years ago? How could I forget? We were stuck there for a fucking month." 

Blade smiled faintly.

"That's the one. Let's pray it got better."

Jordane sighed.

"Whatever you say. You're the boss."

Blade just smirked.

"Good girl."

"Umm...sorry to interrupt, but what about Ryan?" Aaron asked. "We can't leave him here. I mean, you'll need your body again, right?"

Blade nodded slowly and crouched next to Ryan's – or actually his own – immobile form. He looked thoughtfully at the other mutant for a long moment, then stood up again.

Jordane and Aaron looked questioningly at him, but Blade just picked up one of his guns and hid it underneath his jacket. He sent Ryan another look, then finally turned around to face his two teammates.

"Break him," he finally ordered coldly. "You can use anything short of physical violence – psychological torture, mindgames, manipulations, I don't care...just break him." 

***

Coming up: Ryan wakes up and gets the shock of a lifetime. But can he actually handle the suddenly transformation into his own nemesis? And how are the Guardians going to react to the sudden change in their leader's personality?


	20. Brutal Awakenings

And along came midterms – gaaah. Someone kill me, please.

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: Archangel: Congratulations, you managed to give me a Vamp-crush. You bad, bad boy *g*

Alikat: You caught me right on target – I feel so bad for still not having introduced all of the characters :P. Give me a chance to throw the teams in the mutant camps, then he'll show up (after all, we'll need some new mutants when I start to kill of the regulars *eg*). Or maybe he'll show up earlier, since I only have a loose idea of where I'm going with this. I can e-mail you when he shows up if you want :) It's not like I expect people whose characters haven't been introduced yet to review every single goddamn time I update (love it – yes. Expect it – no ;) (and in that case – could you please leave an e-addy? *g*)

SilentPegasus: What do you mean? Mindgames are *fun*! *Evil grin* 'Sides, I'm not doing anything – it's the characters speaking through me...;)

__

Italics indicates thoughts

***

Chapter Eighteen: Brutal Awakenings

***

"...Come on - wake up, Blade!"

The faint, female voice tore Ryan out of the comforting darkness of unconsciousness. Out of the darkness and into one hell of a headache.

He groaned and tried to cover his ears to keep the unwelcome voice out, but he was still too weak. 

"I think he's waking up now," another voice – this one male – joined in. "Blade?"

And even through the awful headache, that one word still managed to reach Ryan's foggy mind.

__

Blade? What the...

"Mmmmph?" 

He wanted to ask what the hell they were talking about, but the words came out as nothing but inarticulate sounds, and caused the headache to intensify.

"Shhh...don't try to talk. I don't what fuck happened to you, but you look like shit," the female voice said worried. "Who was it? The FoH? Some doublecrossing client?...Ryan?"

__

But *I'm* Ryan! he wanted to scream, but once again it came out as incomprehensible noises.

"...Ry'n," he managed weakly, something the female obviously misunderstood.

"Cretes? I'm gonna kill him!" she half-growled. 

"Easy, Jordane," the male said.

__

Jordane!? But...what's she doing here? And why does she keep calling me Blade?

He opened his eyes, and that's when he felt it – the first real sign that something was very wrong. His hair was partially covering his eyes, and he brushed it out of his face with a weak hand. That was wrong on so many levels...but mainly because he had short, spiked hair. His hair was nowhere near long enough to cover his eyes. 

Just what the hell was going on?

He looked around and looked into Jordane's worried eyes. Next to her Aaron was watching with the same concerned expression, and Ryan started to feel more than a bit unnerved.

He tried to get up, and Jordane reached out to help him, but he ignored her. He looked around and noticed a small pond nearby.

__

Water. Mirror. This isn't...

He staggered to the pond and sank to his knees, never realizing how similar his actions were to Blade's. Ryan looked at the reflection...and immediately wished that he hadn't. He looked at the mirror image that stared back at him without mercy, and felt his world collapse around him.

__

Oh, my God...

***

A bit away, hidden among the shadows, Blade watched Ryan's reaction and smirked. Despite of the accidental mindswitch, this had worked out even better than he'd hoped. He would be able to get an inside look at the Guardians, and his team could have some fun with Ryan. He had no doubts that Ryan was in for a nasty surprise – the Shadow Alliance did not like mutants that protected humans, and they could be quite cruel when they put their minds to it.

__

Poor, little Ryan. You fucked with the wrong person.

Unnoticed by Ryan, Jordane turned around and looked at Blade. He nodded, and she blew him a kiss teasingly. 

Blade shook his head, and fought back a smile. Jordane just grinned and turned back to Ryan. Blade watched for a few more moments, then disappeared among the shadows, and drove away in the old van.

***

Ryan shook his head slowly in disbelief, never taking his eyes from the chilling reflection. 

__

No. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't...

"Blade? Are you okay?" Jordane asked concerned.

Ryan took a deep breath.

__

Okay, I have two choices now. I can try to convince them that I'm Ryan, which they probably won't believe. And if they do, I really don't want to face their reaction. Or I can take over Blade's role, and...oh, fuck. He must have returned to the Guardians. Shit! Okay, he wouldn't kill them – if he wanted them dead, he would have handled it months ago. I have to stay alive and warn them...somehow. Fuck!

"Blade?" Jordane repeated and put a hand on his shoulder.

__

Here goes nothing...

"I'm fine," Ryan replied curtly, drawing on everything he knew about his enemy. "Let's go home."

"Okay," Jordane agreed and helped him to his feet. "I'll drive. You're in no condition to be put behind a wheel."

Ryan just nodded, relieved that he didn't have to explain why he had suddenly forgotten the way back. 

***

It took an hour before Blade finally arrived at the motel. He'd had to stop halfway because the headache had gotten even worse and threatened to make him black out. And a blackout while he was driving was definitely not something he wanted.

By now he'd reached a point where he didn't care whether or not he'd be able to pull this off, as long as he got the change to get some sleep. And if he had to stay among a group of people who wanted him in jail...then so be it.

He unlocked the door as quietly as he could and was more than a bit relieved to see that the room was completely dark. He was in no condition to face anyone now. With a little luck he would be able to get in bed, and get a good night's sleep before he had to deal with any obnoxious Guardians.

Unfortunately, Murphy's Law wanted otherwise.

"Ryan!" someone said quietly. "Where have you been?! I was worried sick about you!"

__

Oh, fuck. Not now, Blade groaned mentally.

"Hi, Diana," he said in a tired voice. 

Diana closed the door behind him.

"God, what happened to you? You look terrible," she said worried.

Blade sighed and sat down on the bed he hoped was Ryan's. 

"Long story," he replied.

Diana helped him with his clothes, as the exhaustion had kicked in for real and left him too weak to do much by himself.

"Why did you leave so suddenly? I thought I'd told you that it didn't matter what you'd done...you were just a teenager. You didn't know what you were doing," she said quietly.

__

What the hell's she talking about? Ryan didn't actually tell her what happened in Atlanta, did he? He wouldn't have the guts to do that, Blade thought.

Diana frowned.

"It was Blade, wasn't it? You actually fought Blade on your own."

In lack of a better explanation, Blade nodded and Diana sighed.

"Ryan, you stupid, stupid man. He wants you dead, remember? And I - *we* - don't want to see you killed," she said gently.

__

Would you *please* shut up and let me sleep? Blade wanted to ask, but couldn't. Instead he settled for a tired 'I know', and fell into a dreamless sleep, no longer caring where the hell he was, as long as he could get some rest.

Diana watched him for a few minutes, then shook her head and went to sleep as well.

***

Ryan wasn't sure how long the trip had taken. He'd been hovering at the edge of unconsciousness the entire time and couldn't have found his way back to the Guardians, even if his life depended on it. 

But there was one good thing about his condition – neither Aaron nor Jordane had spoken to him during the ride, and that was something Ryan was very grateful for. Because while Aaron was one of the newer recruits and thus less likely to call Ryan's bluff, Jordane had lived with Blade for more than three and a half year. She was his long-time partner and right hand, and according to some rumors, the relationship was more than just platonic. Jordane was quite possibly the only person in the world who really knew the man beneath the cold exterior, and therefore also the person Ryan had to be extra careful around.

He managed to walk into the room without help, and was relieved to find that the rest of the Shadow Alliance was still asleep. Jordane helped him to one of the beds and nodded to Aaron. He rummaged through one of the bags and handed Jordane two small pills.

"Here," Jordane whispered and stroked Ryan's hair. "It'll help on the headache."

Those two tablets could have been anything – painkillers, poison, sleeping pills – but Ryan was beyond caring. All he wanted was sleep. Lots of sleep. He swallowed the pills and surrendered to painless oblivion.

Jordane waited for a couple of minutes until she was sure that Ryan really *was* asleep, then got up.

"We have to explain this to the others. Let's wake 'em up."

"They're gonna hate us for that," Aaron noticed, but his evil grin gave him away.

Jordane smirked.

"Too fucking bad. Let's get to work."

***

"Excuse me? I'm not really awake yet, so...could you repeat that?" Hal asked and ran a hand through her unruly hair. It was fifteen minutes after the trio had returned, and by now the entire Shadow Alliance was gathered in all its sleepy, grumpy glory.

There was a general agreement around the table. Complex explanations did not mix well with too little sleep.

"Basically...Blade and Ryan fought. Ryan fucked up and caused a mindswitch, and now Blade is doing a little reconnaissance among the Guardians, while we brought Ryan back with us to make sure he won't do anything stupid," Jordane explained. 

"Wait, wait," Zach said. "Time out. You're saying that Blade is with the Guardians, and that he has Ryan's powers?"

"Well...yeah."

"I pity them," Laetitia mumbled. "He hates pro-humans."

Zach ignored Laetitia's comment and continued.

"And that's Ryan, in Blade's body, sleeping over there?" he asked.

"Yeah," Jordane replied.

"How can you be sure? I mean, who says Ryan didn't just act like he was Blade, or messed with your heads or something?" Zach continued.

Jordane shook her head.

"Trust me, even when they've switched bodies there's no way you can mistake one for the other. Blade might've been borrowing Ryan's body, but he was Blade, all right."

"Umm...what are we gonna do about Ryan?" Pheonix asked. "We can't keep him sedated with sleeping pills for the next three days."

Jordane's eyes grew hard.

"Blade told us to break him...so that's what we're gonna do."

***

Coming up: Rise and shine, Ryan. Your new teammates are expecting you to take charge – or are they...?


	21. One of Those Mornings

To all the great people who have reviewed the fic – thank you :) *bows*

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: Archangel: Yes, and it's entirely your fault, I'll have you know. I was just looking for a good character picture, and then I found the trailers, and now my movie-Logan and Ultimate-Scott muses are jealous. Bad boy. I ought to sic Fortune on you. 

VFgirl: That's okay – my spring break is in two weeks, so I have something to look forward to as well *g*

Maxwell Dark: Confusing? You ain't seen nothing yet...*eg*

MissNovelist: *I* won't kill any of the regulars. The humans will ;) And darling, cliffhangers are what I do best *eg*

I sincerely apologize to Ryan. I'm a very, very bad, manipulative girl, and shouldn't be let anywhere near a computer. Oh, well.

__

Italics indicates thoughts

***

Chapter Nineteen: One of Those Mornings...

***

"Mmmph...stop it, Blade, you're hogging the covers," a sleepy, female voice complained.

Ryan felt someone pull in the blankets, then the distinctive feeling of movement next to him. The obviously female person snuggled closer and went back to sleep with her right arm sprawled lazily across his chest.

For a brief moment Ryan couldn't remember where he was, but all too quickly the events of the previous night came crashing down on him.

__

Fuck!

He opened his eyes a bit and took a careful look around. The woman in his bed was Jordane, and while Ryan hadn't expected to find her there, he couldn't really say that he was surprised – he knew what the rumors said about the strange relationship between Blade and Jordane, and this only served to prove that those speculations were correct.

Ryan tried to move away a bit, but Jordane whimpered at the sudden loss of heat, and held on to him. Ryan sighed and moved back. The last thing he wanted right now was to face Jordane's questions while he was still half-asleep.

He resigned himself to staying in bed for a little while longer, and settled for a look at the room and its occupants instead.

Ryan wasn't sure what time it was, but judging from the light from the window, it was sometime in the morning. There were some slight movements in the other beds, but no one seemed very eager to get up. 

__

If they've been through the same things as we have, no wonder they're sleeping in.

He closed his eyes and enjoyed what would probably be the last chance to relax he'd have in a long time.

__

I have to get back to the others...but I can't just show up like this. They'd never believe me. I have to give them a chance to realize that there's something wrong first.

"Damn!" he breathed softly as he realized something. He had no idea how to find them again. None. Zip. Nada.

__

Okay...we were heading for Chicago. I doubt Blade would change that – someone would probably start to wonder what was going on, and Blade wouldn't take that risk. So they're going to Chicago. Hopefully, I should be able to convince this team to do the same.

Satisfied that he had something that at least resembled a course of action, he yawned and stretched his tired limbs. He could do this – no problem. Not problem at all...

He tried to get out of the bed as quietly as possible, but unfortunately, it wasn't quietly enough.

"'Morning," Jordane mumbled sleepily. 

Ryan froze instantly.

"'Morning," he replied, in a voice that was almost normal.

"Where're you going?" Jordane asked and stretched lazily, giving Ryan a good view of her thin nightshirt. She didn't seem the slightest bit uncomfortable sleeping in the same bed as him, and for some reason that only served to make Ryan even more determined to get away from her.

"To the bathroom," Ryan replied quietly. "Go back to sleep, Jordane."

Jordane reached out and brushed a lock of black hair out of his eyes.

"How's your head?" she asked softly, and for the briefest of moments Ryan actually felt touched by her concern. Then he remembered that it wasn't *him* she was concerned about; it was Blade.

"Fine," he replied curtly, and got out of the bed. He was still wearing the pants and T-shirt from last night, so he grabbed some random clothes from the bag next to the bed and disappeared into the bathroom.

He locked the door behind him and sat down heavily on the floor.

__

I can't do this. I can't pretend to be a cold-blooded killer for God knows how many days. I can't.

But he didn't have a choice, and he knew it. 

Ryan closed his eyes tightly and imagined that he was back with his own team. Back in the motel room, with people he knew and trusted. People who had unknowingly invited a snake into their nest.

__

Blade, I swear, if you hurt any of them, there will be no place on earth that can keep you safe from me.

Slowly he got up and looked in the mirror. He let a finger trace the faint scar that ran across the jawbone on the left side of his face, and caught himself wondering what had caused it. It was odd – to look his worst enemy in the eyes and not worry about surviving.

Odd, and a little bit worrying because on some level, Ryan could see some of himself in the mirror. Behind the cold eyes and the hard expression, he saw part of himself, and he didn't like it one bit. Even the mere thought that he, Ryan, had something in common with an assassin who had been declared clinically insane...it freaked him out. It freaked him out and worried him more than he'd care to admit.

Ryan absently ran a brush through the shoulder-length hair, then picked up the clothes he'd tossed on the floor. Loose. Dark. Lots of places to hide weapons and other nasty surprises. 

He put on the clothes with slow movements, then faced the mirror again.

And this time, he found no trace of himself in the reflection.

***

"You look like shit," Laetitia said and handed Ryan two knives hanging in a holster. He had barely gotten out of the bathroom before the Greek assassin had handed him the various weapons Blade usually carried around. Ryan hadn't liked it one bit, but forced himself to accept the weapons to avoid suspicions. 

He glared at Laetitia and took the knives. He recognized them, of course – it was the same two knives that had nearly claimed his life that very night. If he'd had it his way, those two knives would have disappeared into a bag, never to be seen again. Unfortunately Laetitia was watching him, and Ryan had no other choice but to reluctantly attach the weapons to his belt. 

Laetitia smiled faintly.

"That's the spirit," she said. "I was starting to worry that you'd suffered some permanent damage to your head last night." 

"Why would you think that?" Ryan asked with practiced casualness. 

Laetitia shrugged.

"You didn't act like yourself, that's all," she replied, and started to pack her things.

Ryan felt a rush of adrenaline at those words, but forced himself to act indifferently.

__

She doesn't know. There is no way she can know. It was just a casual remark, nothing more. _No need to panic. Not yet, anyway. It was just a lucky guess._

He never noticed the ruthless smile that graced Laetitia's lips. 

***

"As I see it, the best option would be to cross the border here," Jordane said and pointed at the map. 

Much to Ryan's relief it had turned out that the Shadow Alliance was heading to Chicago as well, so he didn't have to come up with a good excuse to suddenly chance their route. The bad news was that they'd have to cross the border that separated the Atlantic States from the Midwest, and quite frankly, Ryan had no idea how to handle that. In his own body he would have used his powers get through, but in this case...

"Couldn't we bribe our way through again? As far as I know, the border to the Midwest has a very relaxed attitude to rules," Zach said. 

Jordane frowned.

"You know, that wasn't a bad idea. Blade?" she asked and looked at Ryan to see if he approved.

__

Bribe? Well...it's better than the alternative, I guess...and this way Blade's blood money will come to good use.

He nodded, and Jordane folded the map back together.

"Well, now that that's settled, let's get out of this dump," she said.

__

Yeah. Let's do that. The faster we get to Chicago, the faster I can get away from here, Ryan wanted to add.

But he remained silent.

***

"Hey!" Hal's voice cut through the noise in the hotel room, and the others stopped their packing. "Has anyone seen my shotgun?"

Ryan nearly choked.

__

A *shotgun*? She has a *shotgun*?!

Zach frowned and scratched his neck.

"Check Jordane's bag – the blue one. I think that's where we put it last time we packed."

"Thanks," Hal said, and grabbed the bag. She found the gun almost immediately and smiled triumphantly. 

"Here we go. I feel almost naked without it," she said and put the shotgun in her own bag after checking that it wasn't loaded.

Ryan shivered and looked away. The Shadow Alliance seemed disturbingly used to weapons – as far as he could tell, they were all armed with at least one gun. Even Pheonix, who treated the guns like they poisonous, had a small pistol hanging in a holster.

The two guns and several large knives he himself carried felt downright uncomfortable. The weapons felt unnaturally heavy, and Ryan desperately hoped that he wouldn't actually have the use any of them. He'd seen Blade fight, and knew how the Shadow Alliance would expect him to react. 

Ryan couldn't do something like that. He couldn't kill another human being simply for the pleasure of it. He couldn't slit someone's throat, or execute them in cold blood if they crossed him. He had a conscience, damnit. He had morals. He wasn't Blade.

He wasn't...

***

Look! No cliffhanger! Wow! Can I get a gold star now?

Coming up: How long can Blade keep up the charade before someone gets suspicious? Why does Erik suddenly visit Jhonen again? And whose side is he really on?


	22. A Whole New Dimension of Bad

To Nadja, a great writer and a wonderful friend. Oh, and I bought a present for you, babe. They're made of metal, they need a key to be opened, there's a chain hanging from them, and they have fake, pink fur around them...*eg* Warned ya, didn't I? ;)

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: VFgirl: Oh, gold star! Shiny, shiny!!! Don't worry, we'll get to some action...eventually *eg*. Right now I'm having too much fun with the mindgames ;) And no, despite persistent rumors among friends and enemies alike, Blade and Jordane don't normally sleep together (well, there was this one night, but really...;)

Maxwell Dark: Of course *g*. Ah, it's great to be evil ;) 

Phoenixdreams: Don't worry, I won't kill anyone off just yet. I'll wait a while - I only kill characters when I have a reason to do so *g*

Archangel: Well, babe, then you better behave or I'll sic Ocelot on you...;)

__

Italics indicates thoughts

'...' indicates a conversation between Jhonen and a spirit

Well, what do you know? With this chapter, we just passed the 100 pages.

***

Chapter Twenty: A Whole New Dimension of Bad

***

In the past, there had been days when Blade had wondered why the hell he had ever created the team. Days when Pheonix stubbornly resisted any weapon training, when Hal curled up in her room and tried to lose herself in the timestream, when Zach and Aaron got into once screaming match after the other, when Laetitia moped around, alternately cursing her father and mourning her lost childhood, and when Jordane looked at him with eyes that said 'Come on, give them another chance.'

Those were bad days. Luckily there hadn't been too many of them, but they had been there.

Then there were the few days that were worse.

Backstabbing customers, meddlesome cops, murderous FoHs, gunshots and the like belonged in that category. 

And then there were days like this: trapped with a bunch of goody-two-shoes that were all determined to protect humanity from him. 

That wasn't bad. That wasn't even in the same fucking dimension as bad. This was so goddamn horrible that Blade would gladly have surrendered to the FoH, just to get away from the Guardians. Unfortunately, he couldn't. They had only gotten to Lima that day, and he still had to survive two more days before the rendezvous in Chicago with the others.

He had waited until the Guardians were fast asleep, then disappeared outside, the only place where he could be fairly certain that no one would bother him.

Because he'd already had more than enough of them.

Diana had been fussing around him all day, alternating between worrying about his health and yelling at him for not telling them where he had been going. He had tried to explain to her in as Ryan-like a way as possible that it was one of those things he had had to face alone. Diana had just thrown her arms up in exasperation and muttered something about 'stupid macho-behavior'.

Blade sighed. It was days like this that really made him appreciate Jordane's less mothering attitude. Sure, she'd behaved that way once or twice, but only when there had been a good reason for doing so. There had only been one good things about Diana's behavior – Blade had easily been able to convince her that he was too exhausted to use his powers, and let her get them across the border instead by making the guards trust them.

Then there was Deirdre. She had almost assaulted him, in the sense that she'd thrown herself in his arms and told him – repeatedly – how happy she was that he was okay, and that he shouldn't have gone out alone. Then she'd hugged him again, and Blade had fought the strong urge to push her away. He didn't care much for physical contact, especially not with some loud, attention-craving fifteen-year-old girl.

Unfortunately, he knew that Ryan didn't mind and thus Blade was pretty much forced to put up with her behavior.

Kyle hadn't been nearly as bad. His only comment had been 'you're crazy, Ryan' and that was the end of that subject. The guy was pretty quiet compared to the others, but there was no mistaken the intelligence hidden behind his dark blue eyes. Very smart, very observant...under different circumstances Blade might even have grown to like him.

Ben had reacted pretty much the same way. The guy was even quieter than Kyle, and seemed awfully fond of solitude. He had healed the worst of the bruises, and then packed his bags quietly while the others had discussed their future plans. That suited Blade just fine – the less contact he had with the Guardians, the less chance of discovery. 

Jhonen...Blade didn't know what to make of that kid. One moment he was funny and optimistic, the next he seemed almost cynical. 

__

Must be his powers. Hearing voices in your head all day could drive anyone crazy.

But apparently, he didn't pose any real threat to Blade, who quickly decided to focus on other, more dangerous, opponents...like Prue.

Prue had been the wild card. Blade had no idea that Ryan had picked up a new teammate, so Prue's sudden appearance had shocked him to say the least. To make matters worse he didn't know anything about her. Not a thing. It had taken half an hour before someone had called her by name, and Blade had yet to find out her last name, powers, and history.

That wasn't good. That wasn't good at all. It would only take a few, wrong comments for people to get suspicious, and once that happened he would have a very hard time keeping up his charade.

He couldn't even use Ryan's powers to manipulate them, or control their minds. It required a lot of a training, something which Blade didn't have. He suspected that he *could* use the mindbolts, but if he did, it would be very unlikely that he could control who and where it struck.

Great. Fucking great.

And finally there was Suzuka, whom Blade know already knew had certain suspicions. It had been his own, damn fault, too. She had asked him if he wanted to train with her, since she needed the exercise. In his amazing stupidity, he had agreed and forgotten one very important thing: he didn't fight the same way Ryan did. Their styles were fundamentally different, and Suzuka should have blind to miss it.

__

Fuck! Blade thought and hit the wall with the palm of his hand. _You fucking idiot._

Suzuka had spent the rest of the day watching him cautiously. Sure, she tried to hide it, but Blade knew what to look for. He also knew that it was only a matter of time before she figured out exactly what had happened.

__

Great job. Less than a day and one of them already suspects you. Nice going. Very sneaky. Very intelligent. Idiot!

He slammed his hand into the wall again, then returned to his brooding.

***

'So he's outside, brooding like there was no tomorrow. Grated, it *is* a little unusual for Ryan to brood, but he's had a bad couple of nights. Can I go back to sleep now?' Jhonen asked, more than a bit annoyed.

He had been pulled out of his nice, peaceful sleep by Erik, who had insisted that Jhonen should take a look outside. 

Quite frankly, Jhonen failed to see what was so damn interesting out there.

'Don't you think there's something...different...about him?' Erik hinted.

Jhonen sighed exasperated.

'Like what? A new haircut, maybe? Listen, whatever it is, I don't care. It can wait until tomorrow.'

Erik sighed.

'You're telling me that you didn't notice anything different about him today? Nothing whatsoever?'

Jhonen was about to tell Erik to shut up when he realized something: Erik was right. Ryan *had* been acting a bit differently. Not much, but now that he had been alerted to it, it was hard to miss.

Ryan's claim that he was too exhausted to use his powers, for one. Even the few times Ryan had used so much strength that he'd collapsed, he had still be able to use his powers the next day.

Then there was his behavior around Diana and Deirdre. If Jhonen didn't know any better, he would have thought that Ryan wanted to get away from them. He certainly hadn't appeared too happy about their constant worrying.

And Suzuka – she'd commented that Ryan had fought differently than usual. And she would know, would she? After all, she and Ryan had been training together regularly for quite a while.

'See?' Erik asked.

'Okay. You got my attention,' Jhonen admitted. 'What's wrong with him?'

'Ever heard of something called a mindswitch?'

'Sure...it's when two minds switch bodies. But it can only happen between two telepaths, right? And he's the only telepath around here,' Jhonen remarked.

'Nope,' Erik replied smugly.

'Who would---no way. That's not possible, okay? You're fucking insane, man!' Jhonen objected when he finally caught up with Erik's train of thought.

'And why would it be impossible? No one was around when they fought, and although Blade is a low-level telepath, he *is* telepathic,' Erik disagreed.

'You're crazy. Fucking nuts. You're telling me that Ryan switched minds with Blade? You're lying.'

'I'm a spirit, moron. You have completely control of my world. I can't fucking lie to you, even if I wanted to!' Erik snapped.

__

Shit.

Jhonen sank to the floor and leaned against the wall.

__

We're in trouble. We're in so much trouble it's not even funny.

'I gotta warn the others,' he finally said. 'We gotta do something – now.' 

'NO!' Erik almost shouted, and Jhonen could have sworn that he sounded almost scared.

''No'?...Whose side are you on, anyway?' Jhonen asked, only half joking.

Erik sighed.

'Haven't you learned anything, dumbass? First of all – they wouldn't believe you. I mean, how the fuck would you prove that he isn't Ryan? Ask him about a so-called secret? He could get the answer by using Ryan's power, damnit!'

Jhonen paused, and Erik continued.

'Secondly...do you have any fucking idea of how someone like Blade would react if you backed him into a corner? No? Then let me tell you. He would do anything within his power to take you out, even if it meant his own goddamn death. And I can guarantee you – he is not unarmed.'

Jhonen closed his eyes briefly.

'Oh, damn. I hadn't thought about that. Okay...okay. You seem to be thinking a lot more clearly than me right now - what do you suggest we do?'

Erik waited a moment before he replied, and Jhonen could almost hear the wheels turning inside his head. 

'We talk to him,' he finally replied. 'We tell him that we know who he really is, and have a chat with him.'

'What?! Are you insane? Do you want me to walk out there and say 'Hey, Ryan. Listen, I know you're actually Blade, so why don't we sit down and have a long talk?'. He would kill me! They would never find the body! I'd end up as one more number in the missing person statistics! He'd-'

'Would you calm down for a moment? I didn't say you should go out there *now*. Wait until tomorrow. That way the others will be awake and nearby, and Blade won't be tempted to do anything to you,' Erik explained patiently.

'He's gonna kill me!' Jhonen repeated.

'No, he'd not,' Erik half-growled. 'If he wanted you dead, wouldn't he have done it by now?'

Jhonen sighed.

'Okay, then let's pretend that I'm going along with your idea. What would the point be, anyway? Endangering my life?'

'How about getting to know your enemy?' Erik suggested. 'I mean, think about it. You have the chance to talk with Ryan's worst enemy without endangering yourself. How many times in a lifetime do you think that fucking happens?'

'Forget it. I know his reputation - there's no way I'm going anywhere near him.'

Erik shrugged.

'Have it your way. Just think about it, okay?'

Jhonen sighed. If it would get Erik off his back...

'Sure. Why not? I'll think about it, but I'm not promising anything.'

Erik's only reply was a confident smirk.

***

Coming up: How is Kyle going to react to Suzuka's suspicions? What's Jhonen going to do with the information Erik gave him? And just how far can Laetitia push Ryan before he gives himself away?


	23. 3rd Interlude: Nightmares

To VFgirl, with a big THANK YOU for the drawings. You rock, girl ;)

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: This interlude takes place during Jhonen and Erik's conversation. It won't fit into chapter 21, but Laetitia insisted that I wrote it anyway (tip of advice: don't say 'no' to armed assassins. Trust me on that.)

xFreakx: Jhonen Vasquez? Have no idea; I just write the guy ;) Laetitia? Do something nasty? Oh, you have no idea...*big, evil grin*

Rascal: Define 'hurt'...

Sabrin: Well, sometimes people don't want to see what's right under their noses. But then again, maybe Kyle *has* noticed something...who knows? *g*

__

Italics indicates thoughts

***

Third Interlude: Nightmares

***

"What do you think his biggest fear is?" Jordane wondered and looked at the sleeping Ryan.

Pheonix shrugged and waved her hand in front of Ryan's face. There was no reaction. Not surprising, really, considering the sleeping pills they'd slipped into his food. 

"How the fuck should I know?" she asked and stepped away from the bed.

"Defeat?" Hal suggested and moved closer. "He's a leader; all leaders fear defeat."

"Death, maybe," Laetitia speculated. "He was raised at an orphanage, wasn't he? No family, no roots...he only has his teammates. I don't think he'd take it lightly if he saw one of them get killed."

"Why just one of them?" Jordane asked with an evil glint in her eyes.

"You're a cruel woman, Melee," Aaron said from his place at the table.

"I learned from the best," Jordane replied and shrugged. "Not my fault I'm a good student."

Hal smiled wickedly.

"Besides, it's just a little nightmare," she said.

Zach shook his head.

"Remind me not to piss those girls off," he told Aaron, who nodded in agreement.

Hal rolled her eyes.

"Quit the comments and make yourself useful, okay? Do *you* have any suggestions?"

Aaron and Zach exchanged a look, then shrugged.

"Not really. We're with Jordane on this one," Zach said. "Show him the death of one of the Guardians. He'll hate that."

"Diana, maybe?" Pheonix suggested. "He's known her for the longest."

"No, pick Deirdre instead," Jordane objected. "She's the youngest. It'll hit him *right* where it hurts the most," she continued ruthlessly and planted a finger above Ryan's heart.

"You really do hate him, don't you?" Aaron asked quietly.

Jordane just sent Ryan a cold look.

"He's tried to fuck things up for Blade more than once. And if anyone fucks with Blade, they fuck with me, too."

Zach face lit up in an evil grin.

"There's an idea. Ryan knows that Blade is staying with the Guardians, right?"

"Probably, yeah," Hal replied, and the others nodded in agreement.

"Then let's show him some nightmarish vision of Blade killing one of them," he suggested. "We know how he fights – it shouldn't be too hard to make it look realistic."

"And Ryan would readily believe it," Jordane continued slowly, then grinned. "Damn, Zach, I love the way you think!"

"Anything for you, my lady," Zach said and mock-bowed.

"You know, I should be able to pull that off," Laetitia agreed.

"He's gonna be terrified when he wakes up tomorrow," Hal noted and toyed with one of her knives.

"Scared out of his wits," Jordane agreed.

"Seriously freaked," Pheonix added.

They looked at each other and Zach smirked.

"I love this job."

Laetitia shook her head and hid a smile. She approached Ryan bed silently, then sat down next to him and caressed his cheek. Drawing on a lifetime of death, Laetitia wove a net of nightmarish thoughts, then carefully wrapped Ryan's mind in it.

__

Enjoy your peaceful sleep while you can, Cretes. It will end soon enough.

She slowly got up again. 

"It's done," she said and left the room, followed by the others.

Behind them, trapped in a fine web of dawning fear, Ryan started to move around restlessly.

***

Coming up: Suzuka talks to Kyle, Ryan wakes up to another day in hell, and Jhonen makes the first of several decisions that will have far-reaching consequences for both teams...


	24. A Time of Realizations

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: Super-speed? Maybe...but in that case it's y'all's fault. The characters kinda took on a life of their own, and now they won't let me go...;)

__

Italics indicates thoughts

***

Chapter Twenty-One: A Time of Realizations

***

Jhonen woke up with every intention of telling the others the truth about Blade's charade. He'd figured that he would talk to one or two at a time, carefully alerting everyone without making Blade suspicious. He'd planned it all, down to even the smallest detail.

He really had.

At least until man's natural fascination with danger had reared its ugly face.

Now that he actually knew the truth, he found himself unable to look away. The more he watched, the more he saw Blade's real identity shine through. Sure, the man looked like Ryan, but his behavior...it was so obvious once Jhonen knew what had happened.

His more rational side wanted him to warn the others, but for some reason, Jhonen found that he couldn't. Not yet, anyway. As Erik had said – this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to gain some insight into the man that had caused Ryan so much trouble. 

Curiosity might have killed the cat, but Jhonen was neither four-legged nor furry. He *was* curious, though, and found himself watching Blade with an almost morbid fascination.

At first it had been a few, stolen glances to satisfy his curiosity. Then, when they had left the motel and continued towards Chicago, Jhonen had deliberately picked the same car as Blade. He'd told himself that it was because he wanted to keep an eye on their enemy, but deep down, he knew that it was a lie.

It was fascination. Pure and simple fascination. Like a child attracted to the danger of a fire, although it knew the risk of getting burned.

It was the small things that caught Jhonen's attention – the coldness in the normally warm and caring eyes. The way Blade was constantly aware of the exact location of each and every one of the Guardians. How he always made sure to stand in such a way that no one would be able to sneak up on him. 

Jhonen had thought that the weird fascination would pass rather quickly. But as the team found a small camping ground a few hours away from Chicago, and decided to stop early and get their strength back, Jhonen found that his curiosity was stronger than ever.

But what he failed to realize was that the fire was far from blind, and that Blade was already making plans of his own.

***

Back with the Shadow Alliance, Ryan had had a less pleasant morning. 

He'd woken up covered in sweat, and only through sheer willpower had he managed to stop the scream that fought to get out. It took him a long moment to realize where he was, and even longer to realize that it had been a dream.

Or at least he hoped it was a dream. 

__

It must have been. It wasn't real. Blade isn't stupid – he wouldn't run that risk.

Ryan closed his eyes and tried to slow down the frantic beating of his heart. A particularly horrifying part of the nightmare returned and Ryan clenched his fists tightly, hoping that the pain would make him forget what he'd seen.

__

A dream. A nightmare. Not real. Not real, not real notrealnotreal...

Afraid to go back to sleep, Ryan got out of bed and slumped down in a chair. Out in the horizon the first, faint light of dawn had yet to appear, and Ryan sighed as he prepared to wait for morning.

Behind him, in the comfortable king size bed, Jordane smirked and went back to sleep.

***

"'Morning, boss. Sleep well?" Hal asked sweetly as Ryan sat down at the breakfast table. She and Laetitia were the only ones to be up this early. The rest of the Shadow Alliance preferred to sleep in, living by the motto that you should sleep when you could, because who knew when you'd get the chance again.

Ryan almost choked on his coffee, and Hal sent him a concerned look.

"Is it too hot?" she asked worried.

"No...no. I'm just a bit tired, that's all," Ryan said. And quite frankly, he was – he'd gotten all of six hours of sleep, most of which had been spend trapped in a nightmare.

"Oh," Hal said and took a sip of her own, very strong, coffee. 

__

Get a grip on yourself, Cretes, Ryan mentally berated himself. _It was an innocent question; nothing more. Pull yourself together before you blow your cover, damnit!_

The faint sound of footsteps interrupted Ryan's thoughts, and Laetitia entered the room, looking way too energetic for eight a.m. 

"Oh, there you are," she said as she saw Ryan. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Leave?" Ryan asked suspiciously. "Where are we going?"

Laetitia frowned.

"Target practice, of course. According to the map there's a shooting range nearby, and I could use the practice," she explained and raised an eyebrow. "Are you coming or not?"

Ryan forced himself to get out of the chair. He knew how to use a gun, but he did not want to spend hours alone with Laetitia, especially not since he was nowhere near Laetitia's and Blade's level.

Unfortunately, he didn't have a choice, and they all knew it.

He grabbed Blade's trenchcoat and checked that the guns where still hanging in their holsters, then followed Laetitia out of the door.

He had a long day ahead of him.

***

"Ryan? Could I talk to you for a moment?" Jhonen asked with forced casualness. 

It was evening, shortly after dinner, and the team had split up in the different rooms to play cards or read or whatever they did to relax. As Jhonen had suspected he would, Blade had retreated to the small kitchen to get the chance to be alone. 

This gave Jhonen the perfect opportunity to talk to Blade without people asking unnecessary questions, and he didn't intend to waste it.

Blade looked at Jhonen and smiled slightly.

"Of course. Why don't we take a walk, then?" he suggested, and Jhonen nodded.

__

Showtime.

***

Suzuka watched carefully through the windows as Blade and Jhonen walked slowly down the walkway, until they disappeared behind a small building. She waited for a moment, then headed for the bedroom that the boys shared. She knew that Kyle would be alone – Ben was playing cards with the other girls, and the other two males on the team would hopefully stay outside for a little while longer.

Suzuka entered the room and shut the door behind her.

"Something is wrong," she said, not bothering with any small talk. "I don't know what, but something is definitely not right."

Kyle looked up from a dog-eared paperback and raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"Ryan. He doesn't act like himself," Suzuka clarified. "His behavior, his fighting-style...don't tell me you haven't noticed."

Kyle closed the book and motioned for Suzuka to sit down.

"Oh, I have noticed it, all right, but I just thought it was my imagination. But since you've notice it, too..."

Suzuka sat down and shook her head.

"I don't know why, but he's behaved strangely since his run-in with Blade. It's like...he isn't himself."

Kyle frowned slightly.

"You know, there *could* be a logical explanation for his strange behavior. I mean, he almost died that night...something like that changes people," he explained.

Suzuka snorted.

"Don't tell me you believe that," she said.

Kyle sighed.

"I don't," he admitted. 

Suzuka stood up and started to pace. After a moment she stopped and faced Kyle again.

"You've know him for longer than I have. What do you suggest we do?" she asked.

Kyle shook his head.

"I don't know. We'll watch him carefully for a start, I guess. Then we can decide on a course of action later."

Suzuka nodded.

"Got it," she said and left the room.

Kyle watched her retreating back for a long moment, then put away the book. He wouldn't be able to focus on it, anyway.

***

Jhonen followed Blade outside, and wasn't surprised to find that the place Blade chose to stop was a place where they couldn't be seen from the cabin they'd rented for the night.

Blade turned around and sent Jhonen a look of supreme confidence. Jhonen frowned mentally. For some reason it bothered him to see Blade act so sure around them – it was as if the man had long ago decided that they would never be a threat to someone like him, and quite frankly Jhonen didn't like to be dismissed like that.

"I know who you are," he said quietly.

Blade raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" he asked amused, and for a short moment Jhonen imagined that he'd seen a flicker of doubt in Blade's eyes. Then the moment passed, and the confident facade was back up.

"Yes...*Blade*."

If Jhonen had ever doubted Erik's theory, every single, unvoiced doubt disappeared the moment those words left his mouth.

The change from Ryan to Blade was immediate and unmistakable. The small glints of Blade that Jhonen had seen during the day were nothing compared to what he faced now. Blue eyes turned ice-cold, the stance changed from alert to downright threatening, and one hand moved to rest on the hips, no doubt only inches from a concealed weapon of some kind.

But the biggest change was the faint Ryan-like smile that Blade had forced himself to wear all day. The faint smile that suddenly turned into a ruthless, arrogant smirk. 

__

Fuck... Jhonen thought, and at that moment he knew that every single, chilling rumor he'd heard about Blade Heron was true.

"Isn't it a bit foolish of you to confront me alone? I could wipe your mind of any memory of this, and no one would ever suspect anything," Blade remarked in a deceptively soft voice. 

"How do you know I haven't already told everyone?" Jhonen challenged.

Blade smirked.

"If you had, you wouldn't ask me that question. Don't try to fool me. I'm almost a decade older than you, *kid*, and that trick was old even when I was your age."

Jhonen looked away, embarrassed that his lie had been spotted so easily, and Blade sent him a long, measuring look.

"Are you going to tell me exactly why you haven't told the truth to your wonderful teammates yet?" he asked, turning the phrase 'wonderful teammates' into a sneer.

"No," Jhonen replied with as much confidence as he could muster.

Blade sent him another measuring look, and this time Jhonen was sure that he saw a spark of interest in the cold, blue eyes.

"Then at least tell me...how *did* you figure out the truth?" Blade asked with deliberate casualness. 

Jhonen didn't reply, and Blade looked at him thoughtfully.

"Not very cooperative, are you? Well, since you're so reluctant to tell me, my guess is that those spirit-voices in your head dropped a hint or two," he said slowly, keeping an eye on Jhonen to check his reaction. 

Jhonen looked away for the briefest of seconds, and Blade smirked.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Jhonen raised his head defiantly, angry that he'd inadvertently given away important information.

"You know a lot about me," he remarked, almost challenging. 

"I know a lot about all of you," Blade replied with carefully practiced indifference.

"'Know your enemy' and all that?" Jhonen asked.

Blade raised an eyebrow.

"Who says we're enemies? My quarrel is with Ryan...you were just unfortunate enough to end up on the wrong side," he said and shrugged.

Jhonen sent him a skeptical look.

"So you're saying that we're not enemies? I know your reputation, and I don't believe you. You'd kill me in a heartbeat if you got the chance."

Blade smirked.

"Smart kid. But you're wrong about one thing – I might have a reputation for random kills, but I don't kill other mutants without a reason." 

The offhanded way he said it sent a shiver down Jhonen's spine, but it was nothing compared to the implications that hung heavy in the air.

"But you would kill a human without a reason, is that what you're saying?" he accused.

"Yes," Blade replied truthfully. "I would."

"That's sick!" Jhonen said disgusted.

"Is it?" Blade replied. "If you haven't noticed yet, those same humans are trying to capture us and send us to the camps. And in case you didn't know, they don't plan to let us out again – ever. They might call it 'for the greater good', but it's murder...just on a larger scale."

"So because they do it, you have the right to do it as well? You're no better than them," Jhonen spat out, but regretted the words as he saw the barely controlled fury in Blade's eyes.

For a moment Jhonen thought that Blade would actually kill him, potential witnesses be damned. Then the fury slowly disappeared, and Jhonen took a relieved breath.

"You can protect the humans all you want, but the truth is that they're not worth it. They've had their chance, and they blew it," Blade stated ruthlessly.

"Really?" Jhonen demanded. "You sound damn sure of something you know nothing about."

"*I* know nothing about it?" Blade repeated slowly. "Take a long look around. Wars, persecution, famine, pollution, genocide, torture – all thanks to them. Survival of the fittest, remember? I'm just following the rules they lay down."

"Not all of them are bad," Jhonen objected.

Blade snorted.

"How old were you during the Riots?" he asked. "Eight? Nine? You're nowhere near old enough to remember what happened."

"I've read about it," Jhonen defended himself. "The FoH launched an all-out attack on-"

"You've *read* about it?" Blade mocked. "And I'm sure that those books told you exactly what happened. Tell me, where there any pictures of innocent mutant infants, killed simply because they looked differently? Or maybe defenseless mutant teenagers, begging for help, but finding no mercy?"

Jhonen didn't answer and Blade continued ruthlessly.

"You looked human, and your mutation hadn't manifested itself yet. You were never a target. You've never been hunted like some animal because of your goddamn genes," Blade growled.

"They didn't-" 

"They had their chance, and they fucked up," Blade interrupted icily. "They've fucked up from the moment they climbed down from the trees and started to walk on two legs. *We* are the future. This world belongs to us, not a bunch of humans who get left behind when the rest of us evolved."

"They're - they're not that bad," Jhonen tried to object. 

Blade snorted.

"Take a long look around, boy. We didn't start this war – they did. It's them or us, and personally, I prefer to see them go."

"It doesn't have to be like that," Jhonen disagreed. "We can show them that they have no reason to fear us, we can-"

"Wake up, damnit!" Blade growled. "Forget what Ryan told you and take a look around. It's too late. It's too fucking late to make them change their minds, and it's too fucking late to prevent a war. Ryan can preach about co-existence as much as he wants, but I intend to give my team the best possible chances to survive."

"Even if you have to kill a hundred people to do so?" Jhonen demanded, but already knew the answer.

"Yes."

Jhonen looked away. This wasn't the way it should have gone. He'd planned to find out a few things about Blade, and then tell the others the truth. It should have been easy. Blade was supposed to be an insane killer...he wasn't supposed to care about others. He wasn't supposed to make sense. He wasn't supposed to voice the things that Jhonen had sometimes wondered about in the darkest reaches of his mind.

"I'm..." Jhonen started but trailed off.

"You're a smart guy, Jhonen," Blade said. "You know where things are heading. Don't waste your life on a lost cause."

"It's not a lost cause," Jhonen objected, more out of duty than of conviction.

"You don't have to stay with them. We always have room for one more," Blade continued quietly.

"I'm...I'm going to bed now," Jhonen stammered and headed back inside.

Blade watched his retreating back and smirked.

__

Gotcha.

***

Coming up: Things are closing in as both teams arrive in Chicago. Meanwhile, Blade plans to leave, and Jhonen has to make another choice – and just how much do the rest of the Guardians suspect...?


	25. The Choice You Make

To those who've read the AU 'Journey' ficlet – don't worry. I wouldn't do that in the 'real' version ;) (not unless I had a reason to do so *eg*). Of course, I said the same thing about the whole mindswitch thing, but...all right, all right. I'll behave now ;)

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: J.DeLuca: *g* Don't worry. It was only because I couldn't get the idea out of my head, and because I know better than to ignore my muses. If I had, I don't doubt that it would have ended up as a major plot-twist in the 'real' Journey-verse, just like the last ficlet-idea I ignored turned into a 35-pages series ;) Would I actually use it in the 'real' universe? If I found a reason to do so – yes *eg* (but don't worry – so far, it'll remain AU ;) 

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

'...' Indicates a conversation between Jhonen and Erik

***

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Choice You Make

***

'He's insane. Fucking nuts,' Jhonen said and shook his head. It had been hours since his conversation with Blade, and he was the only one who was still awake. He'd tried to sleep, but found it impossible. The conversation with Blade kept running through his head, playing over and over again, until Jhonen was sure that he would go crazy.

'But you gotta admit that he's got a point,' Erik remarked casually.

'Shut up!' Jhonen snapped.

'Come on. You know the truth won't go away just because you ignore it," Erik snapped back.

'It's not the truth,' Jhonen disagreed. 'It's just his way of justifying the murder of innocents.'

'Whatever you say,' Erik replied.

'It is!' Jhonen repeated with finality.

'Are you sure it's me you're trying to convince?' Erik asked. 'Because it doesn't sound that way.'

'Shut up, damnit!' Jhonen shouted. 

Erik shrugged.

'Have it your way,' he said and disappeared.

Jhonen sighed and closed his eyes. It was going to be a long night.

***

It had been a long night for Ryan as well. He'd had another nightmare, this one even worse than the first one. He had once again woken up before dawn, and by now he was feeling tired, cranky, and miserable. The only thought that kept him from screaming 'fuck it all!' and drop the charade was the fact that they would reach Chicago that day. And hopefully, the Guardians would be there as well. 

He intended to wait until night, then sneak out and check the motels that he, Kyle, and Diana had considered. It had been three days – they should have noticed that something was wrong by now. And even if they hadn't, Ryan really didn't care. He wanted to get away from the Shadow Alliance, consequences be damned. He was breaking down, and he knew it.

"How long until we reach Chicago?" he asked.

Zach had offered to drive, while Jordane handled the maps, and Ryan was very grateful for that. He didn't trust himself behind a wheel while in that condition.

Jordane looked up.

"Soon," she replied.

Ryan nodded and leaned back.

__

Soon. Soon...

***

They reached the hotel less than an hour later. Unlike New York, Chicago hadn't bothered with checkpoints, probably because they knew that it wouldn't help much, anyway. Whatever the reason was, the Shadow Alliance was grateful for it. No need to endanger themselves unnecessarily. 

The hotel itself was fairly small and located downtown. The style was Oriental – neon-dragons on the outside, Chinese decorations on the inside. All in all, it wasn't bad. And it was certainly a lot better than Jordane remembered it.

"Nice to see that they cleaned the place up a bit," she mumbled to Laetitia while they waited for the manager to finish the registration. They'd checked in under false names, of course, and paid in cash to prevent any paper trail. Some extra money had ensured that they would not be disturbed.

"You've been here before?" Laetitia asked and let her gaze wander across the room, mentally marking the possible exits. 

"Once," Jordane replied. "Not one of my better memories."

Laetitia smiled faintly.

"Was it really that bad?" she asked, a bit amused.

"Last time we stayed here was the time I found out what it feels like to be at the wrong end of a sniper's rifle," Jordane explained quietly, and Laetitia nodded. She could understand Jordane's dislike of the place – your first gunshot wound was one of the things you'd prefer to forget, and the area where it had happened was rarely on your list of favorite places to stay.

"Must've been a while back," Laetitia commented and took the keys from the manager with a small smile.

They headed outside, out to the cars where the others were waiting.

"Three years. I still have the scar."

They reached the cars, and the subject was dropped.

***

The Guardians reached Chicago shortly after the Shadow Alliance. Prue, who had spend quite a few months in the area, knew a place where it was possible to rent large cabins, and had showed the way to a large and relatively open park area in the outcasts of the town. 

That fitted Blade just nicely. It was a rather quiet area, and the cabin they'd rented was located relatively close to the hotel the Shadow Alliance would be staying at.

As the Guardians unpacked their things, Blade headed outside unnoticed. There was only one thing left to do, and that was to contact Jordane and arrange a place to meet. And hopefully, he would be able to muster enough control to use Ryan's telepathic abilities to do so.

Blade sat down next to the cabin and leaned against the wall. He closed his eyes and focused on Jordane. Of course, there was always the risk that he would screw up and that the Guardians would hear the conversation as well, but that was a risk he was willing to take.

__

Jordane... he whispered.

The reply was instant and followed by a warm, caring feeling. 

__

Blade?

__

Yes. Did you reach the hotel without any problems?

__

Of course.

Blade smiled slightly.

__

That's my girl. What about Ryan?

Jordane's evil smirk could be felt even through the telepathic link.

__

He doesn't feel so good. He's been having some terrible nightmares recently, she replied with mock regret.

Blade smirked.

__

How unfortunate.

__

Yeah, isn't it? Apparently, those nightmares were about his teammates, dying in his arms. Isn't that just *horrible*?

__

Remind me to thank Laetitia when I get back.

Jordane grinned.

__

Will do. And speaking of which – when and where do we meet?

Blade frowned.

__

How about the abandoned warehouses in the industrial parts of town? he suggested and sent her a mental image of the place in question.

__

I remember it, Jordane replied. _The warehouses, around eight p.m.?_

__

I'll see you there.

__

Blade...be careful, okay? Jordane sent worriedly.

Blade smirked.

__

Of course, my Queen, he replied and cut the connection. 

Jordane opened her eyes and sighed. All they could do now was to wait.

***

It was evening when Erik finally showed up again. He didn't alert Jhonen to his presence, merely whispered quietly in his mind.

'Jhonen...'

'No,' Jhonen replied annoyed. 'Go away. I'm not in the mood for any games.'

'It's not a game,' Erik replied smugly. 'Blade is leaving.'

'What?!' Jhonen demanded.

'Leaving, going, taking a hike-'

'I get your point, but where is he going?'

'I don't know,' Erik replied and shrugged. 'Why don't you ask him?'

Jhonen mentally glared at him, then took a quick look around and left the room as quietly as he could. The door to the hallway was closed, and after checking that he was still alone, Jhonen quietly opened the door and entered the small room. The door that led out of the hallway was closed as well, and Blade was standing in the middle of the room, putting on a pair of Ryan's spiked shoes. He seemed oblivious to the fact that he wasn't alone, but Jhonen knew that it was an act. One did not just catch Blade Heron by surprise.

"You're leaving," Jhonen noted and closed the door behind him.

Blade tied the second shoelace, then looked up. He didn't ask how Jhonen knew, because he was pretty sure of the answer – it was the spirits. Again. 

"Yes," he replied. "I'm not too fond of this team, and quite frankly, I want my own body back."

"And you think I'm just going to let you leave?" Jhonen challenged.

Blade sighed.

"I'm not an idiot. If you wanted to stop me, you would have done so by now. So why don't you tell me what you want, before I lose my last bit of patience?" he suggested.

Jhonen paused briefly.

"Were you telling me the truth last night?" he finally asked.

"About what?" Blade asked. "The Riots? The humans? My offer?"

Jhonen looked away for a moment. He felt like a traitor for even asking, but he had to know.

"All three," he replied.

Blade sighed.

"Yes, I was," he said. "And the offer still stands."

"Why?" Jhonen demanded. "We're not even on the same side."

"You're a mutant, and you're a pretty smart kid. Too smart to get killed because of some humans. Besides, we can always use one more," Blade replied and shrugged. 

He knew that the trick would be to act casually. If he pushed Jhonen too much it wouldn't work. But if he made sure to sound only a bit interested in Jhonen's possible defection, it would be so much easier to convince the kid to change sides.

Teenagers – and especially teenage boys with egos - were so impressionable.

"Why should I join you? I'm happy here," Jhonen replied, waging war against his curiosity – and losing.

Blade shook his head.

"No...I've watched you, just like you've been watching me, and I know that you're not happy here. You might be with us, you know. And unlike Ryan, I'm not asking you to risk your life for a species that wants you dead."

"I don't want to kill anyone," Jhonen stated.

Blade hid a smirk. Jhonen had already given in...he just didn't know it yet.

"I won't force you to," he replied.

"I won't tell you anything about the Guardians," Jhonen continued and crossed his arms.

"Have I asked you to?" Blade replied and opened the door. "Are you coming or not?"

Jhonen paused. He knew that if he walked out of that door, there would be no turning back. He would have betrayed the people who took care of him when he needed it most, and he would belong to the Shadow Alliance instead. Ryan was a good guy – friendly, protective, optimistic, and the born leader. He was the very image of the mutant hero, protecting a world that hated and feared him. 

The problem was that Jhonen was no longer sure that he wanted to follow someone like that. Ryan gave protection and encouraged understanding and teamwork. Blade offered freedom, and demanded loyalty in return. 

Jhonen admired Ryan, but recently he'd seen and heard too much to believe in mankind's innocence. He'd even felt their true nature on his own body, even before he discovered that he was a mutant. He had dozens of small scars from his childhood, from a time when he was beat up by the older kids, simply because he was small. And if they could do something like that to their own kind, who knew what they could do to mutants?

They'd had their chance, hadn't they? They'd had it, and they blew it. They didn't deserve his protection. Not anymore.

Jhonen clenched his fists, then followed Blade out of the door, never looking back.

***

Coming up: Both Ryan and Blade want the mindswitch undone...but is it even possible to do so? And what will happen when the Guardians show up?


	26. Reality Check, part I

Sorry about the lateness of the chapter, but I kind of got a visit from this really cute ex of mine, and...ummm...never mind.

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: Archangel: *Bows* I'm glad you approve *g*. I needed a pet name for Jordane, and for some odd reason 'my queen' seemed like the obvious choice...;) (and don't worry, I *do* enjoy writing it. Otherwise I would've given up long ago ;)

Cherry Drop: Ah, but how do you know that *Blade* is telling the truth? The guy isn't exactly famous for his morality, you know...and yes, Prue will show up more. I just had to deal with Jhonen first *g*

Oh, and the next couple of chapters might be a bit late since life decided to throw everything it's got against me (spring project in art, parents going to Australia for three weeks, sudden chance to earn some extra money...you name it). That, and I need to plan out the next big part of the plotline, including the introduction of various new characters down the line. So have patience with me ;)

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

/.../ indicates Hal's visions of parallel timeline

***

Chapter Twenty-Three: Reality Check, part I

***

It's a common joke that if everything goes according to plans, you've obviously overlooked something. In Blade and Jhonen's case that 'something' was tailing them at a safe distance in an old van.

The duo had left only minutes earlier in Ryan's car, unaware that their every move had been watched by Suzuka and Kyle, who had wondered about Jhonen's strange behavior that evening. After only a moment's hesitation they'd hurried into the van and followed their two teammates through the dark streets leading to the industrial part of town.

"Where on earth are they going?" Suzuka asked.

Kyle sighed.

"I have no idea," he replied and followed Ryan's car down a badly lit road.

"He's behaved strangely for the past couple of days, but just taking off with Jhonen without telling any of us..." she trailed off and sighed. "It's not like Ryan at all."

"No. It isn't," Kyle said and shook his head. 

A bit ahead of them the car drove into a parking lot and stopped in front of a large warehouse. Kyle and Suzuka exchanged a quick look, then Kyle stopped the car by the road, careful to stay out of sight.

"Let's go," he said, and Suzuka nodded.

They left the car and crossed the parking lot, staying in the shadows as much as they could. Suzuka nudged Kyle and nodded towards one of the large doors. In front of it two other cars were parked, and the door was slightly ajar.

Another silent debate, and the duo headed toward the door and quietly entered the large warehouse. Luckily, the phosphorescent lights inside were centered in the middle of the room, leaving the corners of the building in darkness. Various boxes and large containers were spread across the room, and Kyle and Suzuka quickly hid behind some large wooden boxes that would offer protection, and still make it possible to see what happened.

It was just in time. Barely had they gotten out of sight before a group of people stepped out of the darkness to greet Ryan and Jhonen. Thanks to the cold light, it took a moment before recognition kicked in, and when it did, both Guardians wished that it hadn't. 

Because the group that now faced Ryan and Jhonen was the Shadow Alliance.

***

Blade crossed the floor of the warehouse with confident steps, followed by a slightly apprehensively Jhonen. It wasn't that Jhonen was having second thoughts, it was just that reality had finally started to catch up with him. He was feeling nervous, plain and simple. It had seemed so logical to follow Blade, but now that he for the first time was going to face the Shadow Alliance as an ally, instead of an enemy, he found himself reluctant to continue. 

But it wasn't second thoughts, that much was certain. Jhonen was very well aware that he wouldn't be able to go back now, and if given the choice, he wasn't sure if he wanted to. 

He sighed and shook his head, determined to clear his head of gloomy thoughts. In front of him Blade heard the sigh and smiled slightly. Jhonen still hadn't completely accepted the fact that he'd left the Guardians, but that was only a matter of time.

A small movement in the shadows caught Blade's attention, and he felt a pang of relief. It would be good to get back. Very good.

__

Jordane, he sent softly, and Jordane looked up and smiled.

__

Finally. I was starting to wonder when you'd show up, Jordane replied as the team stepped out of the shadows. Her words were berating, but the smile that played on her lips ruined the seriousness of the comment.

__

I had a surprise to pick up, Blade replied. _Jhonen._

__

Jhonen? What's he doing here? You brought him along to annoy Ryan, or-

__

No. He's our new teammate, Blade smirked.

__

New teammate? This is going to be so fun! Jordane grinned delightedly. _I can't wait to see Ryan's face. Can we fuck a bit with his head...please?_

__

Feeling playful, my Queen? Blade whispered in her mind, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Jordane smiled at the name he called her. It was a pet name he had given her when she was still a stubborn, unruly child. The child had grown up, but the name had stuck; now only used in the most private of their conversations, not even known by their teammates. 

__

It depends. Are you up for it...baby? she replied in a flirtatious voice.

Blade smirked, and the challenge was obvious.

__

Are *you*? he asked.

Jordane sent him a confident smile and left Ryan's side. She crossed the short distance to Blade in a few, fast steps, then threw herself in his arms like he was a lover she hadn't seen in months. Blade raised an eyebrow inquiringly, but the glint in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Hey, gorgeous. I missed you," Jordane breathed and caught his lips in a searing kiss.

Out of the corner of his eyes Blade saw Ryan's shocked expression, but ignored it. For the moment Jordane was a lot more interesting, and he drew her closer and returned the kiss with an enthusiasm that matched hers. Almost unconsciously Jordane's hands started to wander, and Blade reluctantly pulled away.

"You're a bad girl," he mumbled, just low enough for Jordane to hear.

Jordane just smirked.

"You have no idea."

A small movement caught their attention, and they quickly turned around. Ryan had taken a small step back, but had immediately been stopped by Zach and Laetitia. Blade walked closer, still with Jordane at his side, then stopped in front of Ryan.

"Hello, Cretes," he said with a cold smirk. "I trust that my team took good care of you?"

***

"Fuck!" Suzuka breathed from her hiding place behind some large wooden boxes.

Next to her Kyle nodded.

"You can say that again," he mumbled. "But if Ryan and Blade have somehow managed to switch bodies or something, it definitely explains a lot."

Suzuka frowned.

"But what's Jhonen doing there? He doesn't even look surprised. He looks like he knew it all along, but..." she trailed off, unwilling to finish her line of thought.

"...But that would mean that he's sided with Blade," Kyle finished with a sigh. "I don't like that possibility, either, but we can't afford to just ignore it."

"He wouldn't do something like that," Suzuka objected quietly.

But the scene in front of them suggested otherwise.

***

"You knew?" Ryan demanded. His mind was slowly catching up with the implications of what he'd just seen. If the Shadow Alliance had known, it meant that what he'd been through for the past three days had been nothing more than a carefully planned show. A show with the one purpose to make him suffer as much as possible.

"Of course," Blade replied with an arrogant smirk. "I woke up before you did – that gave me an excellent opportunity to warn my team."

Ryan looked at Jhonen and seemed to realize something. He looked at Blade with a disgusted expression on his face.

"And what's Jhonen doing here? Acting as a hostage?" Ryan asked coldly.

"Ryan, Ryan, Ryan. You always think the worst of me," Blade remarked tauntingly. "He's not a hostage. He's the latest addition to the Shadow Alliance."

Ryan sent Jhonen a disbelieving look.

"Jhonen? What's going on?" he demanded, drawing on every ounce of the respect he got as team-leader.

Jhonen didn't reply, but his guilty expression spoke for itself. Ryan looked at him with eyes that conveyed the feeling of betrayal better than words ever could, and Jhonen turned away, unable to look his former leader in the eyes.

"Don't be so hard on the boy," Blade said with a touch of cruelty in his words. "You can't blame him for wanting to survive."

Ryan just sent him a cold glare.

"Survive? You'll get him killed instead. Weapon smuggling, assassinations, espionage...I know the risks you take."

"But unlike you, I won't ask him to risk his life for the species that's hunting him," Blade replied in a voice every bit as cold as Ryan's. "I won't ask him to die for a lost cause."

Ryan shook his head and looked at his former teammate.

"Jhonen..." he began, but didn't finish the sentence as he felt the cold steel of a gun against his side.

He quickly looked around to determine who had been behind the silent threat, and wasn't surprised to find that it was Laetitia. He didn't really believe that Blade would let them do anything that would cause his body any physical harm, but it was a risk he wasn't willing to take. 

He sighed, and Jhonen looked at him, completely unaware of what had just taken place.

"Never mind him," Blade said and put a comforting hand on Jhonen's shoulder. "It's your life, not his. He doesn't have the right to tell you what to do."

Jhonen nodded slowly, and Blade smiled slightly.

"Smart kid," he noted. 

Jhonen didn't reply, but Blade hadn't really expected him to, anyway. Jhonen was still partially loyal to Ryan, and it would take a while to turn him completely away from the Guardians. It would be a challenge, but Blade liked a good challenge. Especially when the prize was one of Ryan's former teammates.

Blade looked past Ryan, and caught Hal's gaze. He motioned slightly towards one of the corners, and Hal nodded. They walked out of Ryan's hearing range, then stopped.

"What's the best course of action?" Blade asked quietly. Usually he would have trusted his instincts, but in this case there were too many things that could go wrong. In this case, they would need Lady Luck on their side, and Hal was just the mutant to take care of that.

The young albino took a deep breath and closed her eyes. As always, she was assaulted by a maelstrom of timelines, all pulling her in different directions. She fought against the chaotic visions, then quickly started her search. 

/-Blade and Ryan, locked in a battle of wills, both of them fighting a losing battle against insanity and-/

/-Ryan, unmoving on the floor. Blade, unconscious, and barely breathing-/

/-Screaming; piercing, horrifying, painful scream cutting into their ears, leaving them-/

/-Tempest and Twilight, appearing from behind some large, wooden boxes, determined to help Ryan-/

/-Blade rubbing his temples; horrible headache, but both were back in their real bodies, and-/

Hal gasped and opened her eyes. Blade raised an eyebrow questioningly, and Hal took a moment to calm her frantic heartbeat. She hated how her powers effected her, but she also knew that she couldn't just ignore them. Her teammates depended on her, and she did not intend to let them down.

Hal took a deep breath and felt her body slowly calm down again.

"You have to convince him to cooperate, otherwise the result won't be pretty," she finally reported in a low voice. 

Blade nodded, and headed towards Ryan, but Hal stopped him.

"There's one more thing..." she continued, in the same low voice. "Tempest and Twilight are here. They're hiding behind the wooden boxes."

Blade nodded slowly, deliberately making sure not to look at the boxes. He waited for a moment, then let his gaze wander across the room, carefully marking the location of the boxes without being too obvious about it. The hiding place actually surprised him a bit – the boxes were out in the open, which made things a little more difficult. It would be impossible to take down the two without alerting Ryan and Jhonen. Blade quickly decided on a course of action and motioned for Jordane to come closer.

"Tempest and Twilight. Behind the wooden boxes. Deal with them," he ordered quietly as she reached his side.

"Dead?"

"Unconscious. We don't want to scare Jhonen away."

Jordane nodded and walked back to the others, deliberately joining Zach and Aaron a bit behind Ryan. Blade waited for a moment, then walked back to Ryan, followed by Hal. He would have to distract Kyle and Suzuka long enough for Zach and Aaron to sneak up on them, and that would require quite a show.

Blade crossed his arm and looked at Ryan with an almost annoyed expression.

"All right. Time for some answers, Cretes. First of all, how did you get us into this situation in the first place?" he asked.

Ryan glared at him.

"Do you honestly think that I'm going to help you?"

Blade sighed.

"Yes, because if you don't, we're never going to be able to fix the mess you caused. Now be a good, little mutant and tell me what you did to cause this."

Ryan snorted.

"And when I do, and you get your body back, you'll kill me. Thanks, but no thanks."

This time Blade actually smirked.

"I won't kill you. Not this time. There'd be no fun in killing you if you couldn't defend yourself."

Jhonen flinched slightly at the words, but forced himself to remain calm. He might have left the Guardians, but he still felt a bit of loyalty towards Ryan, and this battle of wills was starting to make him uncomfortable. 

"Come on...just tell me what you did, and it'll be easier for both of us," Blade said reasonably. 

And once again Ryan refused to cooperate. 

***

Coming up: Will Blade find a way to undo the mindswitch? Will Ryan ever cooperate? And will Kyle and Suzuka discover their would-be attackers before it's too late? Answers to come in part II ;)


	27. Reality Check, part II

I just had to cook my own dinner. *And* eat it O.o - I'm buying takeaway tomorrow. I might be crazy, but I am not suicidal :P

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: Archangel: Don't worry, it's spring break now, so I'll get some time to write ;)

J.DeLuca: Sure, Blade has Ryan's abilities, but he's never been trained to use them. And Ryan, being a telepath, has learned to shield his thoughts. If Blade tried to get the information from Ryan by using raw force, he would most likely cause some serious damage to both of them. And don't worry, Jordane will get the chance to kick some ass...eventually *eg* (and maybe Blade will be less overprotective of her once I get my ass together and do something about that UST...)

Cherry Drop: Where the plot twists come from? Practice. Lots and lots of practice. And a couple of twisted muses on speed...

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Twenty-Four: Reality Check, part II

***

Suzuka wasn't sure what alerted her – instincts, maybe – but whatever it was, it made her turn around just in time to see someone close in on them, partially hidden in the shadows. 

"Kyle! Watch out!" she hissed, and Kyle spun around. 

There was someone out there, all right. Two of them as far as he could see. The two Guardians slowly stood up, no longer bothering to hide – there would be no use in doing so, since the Shadow Alliance obvious knew where they were hiding. 

Zach and Aaron exchanged a brief look, then stepped into the light. 

Kyle quickly evaluated the situation. It was bad, but it could have been worse. Not much, though – both boys were fighters, and furthermore Zach could use his bolts of energy against them. Not to mention the fact that the rest of the Shadow Alliance was most likely just waiting for a chance to join the fight.

Zach reached inside his jacket and brought out his bo staff. A slight movement with his hand, and the metal staff had extended to its full length, just short of six feet. Aaron smirked and with a flex of the muscles around his canine teeth, the two long fangs became visible.

Suzuka looked questioningly at Kyle, and he nodded briefly in reply.

Suzuka closed her eyes, and created a detailed picture of a wolf in her mind. She kept a firm grasp on the mental image, then felt the muscles and bones in her body adapt to the new shape with agonizing, slow movements. 

Finally her body had completed its transformation, and the wolf flexed its muscles to test them. Satisfied with the result, she growled deep in her throat and showed a set of long – and very sharp – teeth. Determined to protect her pack-mates, she took a step forward, still growling.

Zach and Aaron took a small step back, and Laetitia raised her gun slightly. But before she could do anything else, Blade had her wrist in a firm grasp. She looked at him, and he shook his head slightly.

"They can handle it. Trust me," he said quietly, and Laetitia nodded and lowered the gun.

Aaron sent Zach a questioning look, slowly pulling out the small knife that lay in his pocket. Zach nodded and took a tighter grip on the bo staff. Kyle and the wolf both tensed, sensing an impending attack, but not knowing where it would come from.

__

You better be ready, Zach, Aaron thought and took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing._

He threw the knife at the two Guardians, not caring whether or not it hit a target. He wanted to get the wolf's attention, and he succeeded. Enraged, she snarled and attacked with a ferocity that chilled Aaron to the core. She charged, aiming to kill, but she'd forgotten one very important fact. By attacking, she had left the area that Kyle's powers could protect, and she was now as vulnerable as she would ever be. 

She sensed the movement of the other enemy almost immediately, but it was too late. Zach lashed out with the staff, and the wolf fell to the floor with a startled yelp.

The wolf slowly shifted back into Suzuka's unmoving shape, and Kyle was suddenly on his own. He knew that he couldn't freeze all his opponents at the same time – and certainly not from that distance - so instead he raised his hands slightly, ready to strike the moment anyone tried to attack him.

Zach and Aaron watched him carefully, deliberately staying just out of reach. Aaron took a small step closer, and Kyle raised his hands a bit more. 

Across the room, the others watched the fight, ready to step if needed, while keeping a firm grip on Ryan. Blade caught Jordane's eyes and nodded towards a dirty cloth on a table.

__

Fire. He's terrified of fire, he whispered in her mind, and Jordane smirked.

She grabbed the rag, and noticed with a bit of satisfaction that it was partially covered in oil. It was perfect. She quickly found her lighter and crossed the floor, and stopped about fifteen feet from Kyle. Before the man had a chance to react, Jordane lit up the thick piece of fabric. It took mere seconds, then the small flames reached the oil and turned the rag into a fireball at an alarming rate. 

"Hey, Sanderson!" Jordane shouted. "Catch!"

She threw the rag only seconds before the flames would have reached her hand. The burning cloth flew through the air, followed by a tail of thick, dark smoke. 

Kyle spun around, ready to fight, but paled visibly as he saw the globe of fire that came sailing through the air. The terror was obvious in his eyes, and while his mind screamed at him to defend himself, his body refused to move.

The burning rag was just the distraction Aaron needed. Before Kyle could react, Aaron had reached him and sunk two sharp fangs into his hand. The sudden pain tore Kyle out of his paralyzed state and he froze the fireball before it could get any closer. 

He turned around to get back at Aaron, but it was already too late. The world started spinning in a kaleidoscope of surreal colors, twisting the surroundings into draw-out, deform shapes. Kyle tried to fight against the effects of the poison, but to no avail. The kaleidoscope started to spin faster, and Kyle sank to the floor.

Aaron stepped closer and checked for a pulse. It was slow, but it was there. 

"He'll live. It wasn't a lethal dose," the boy said and licked his fangs. A look of disgust crossed his face and Zach frowned.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

Aaron shook his head.

"No, but he tasted like fear. I hate that taste," he complained and spit on the floor to get rid of the bad taste in his mouth. "I really hate it."

Zach just smirked and clasped Aaron's shoulder, and they followed Jordane back to the others.

__

Nice trick, Jordane noted, referring to Kyle's fear of fire.

__

Remember it next time you run into him, Blade replied. _He's downright terrified of fire. Unfortunately, I've never been able to find out why._

Jordane shrugged and stopped next to Blade.

__

Who cares, as long as it works?

Blade smirked slightly and put an arm around her waist, unconsciously caressing her hip.

__

Have I ever mentioned that I like the way you think?

Jordane's only reply was a playful smile, and Blade forced himself back to reality, almost regretting that he'd have to give up that particular aspect of Ryan's powers. Telepathic communication would have been *very* useful, especially in business dealings and any possible fights they might get into. 

Blade looked at the two unconscious Guardians, then at Ryan. A cruel smirk appeared on his face, and Ryan started to feel more than a little bit nervous.

"I heard you've had some *horrible* nightmares the last couple of days," Blade noted casually. "Something about seeing your teammates getting killed, wasn't it?"

Ryan didn't reply, having already realized where things were heading. Unfortunately, his silence was the only answer Blade needed.

"It can't have been pleasant. Must've been a comfort to know that it was only...a nightmare," he finished in the same deceptively casual voice. 

Ryan glared at him, but they both knew that it was only a symbolic sign of resistance. All it would take to make those nightmares a reality was the swipe of a knife, and Ryan all too aware of that.

"Asshole," he sneered.

Blade just smirked.

"Maybe. But I'm the asshole that holds your life in his hands. Now, what were you saying about cooperating with me...?"

Ryan closed his eyes briefly and sighed. He didn't have a choice, and he knew it. He could cooperate, or he could watch Kyle and Suzuka being killed. And he did not want any more innocent blood on his hands. 

Besides, if they for some reason remained in the wrong bodies, it would only be a matter of time before Blade learned to control Ryan's telepathic powers, and even the mere possibility of that was enough to send a shiver down Ryan's spine. 

"All right...all right. I'll cooperate," he finally gave in. "Just leave them alone."

What he didn't add was the question that had run though his mind since he had first woken up in the wrong body.

__

How do you undo something you're not sure how you did in the first place...? 

***

Coming up: The final part of 'Reality Check' – Ryan has agreed to cooperate, but is it enough to undo the mindswitch? Or will the result be some serious damage to both Ryan and Blade?


	28. Reality Check, part III

We just passed 50.000 words. O.o

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: J.DeLuca: Don't worry, I wouldn't even venture into the back of the fridge in the first place, so...('sock smell'? I won't even ask...;)

SilentPegasus: Of course they cheated, dear. They're the bad guys ^_^

Maxwell Dark: Nope. Spring break means that I'll post regularly instead of having to take a break to get the time to plan the future plotline *g*

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Twenty-Five: Reality Check, part III

***

It was a common movie cliché that when the good guys were in the most need of help, the cavalry would arrive. Unfortunately, real life didn't work that way, and Ryan knew it. The other Guardians probably had no idea of what was happening – or more importantly, *where* it was happening – and Ryan was very well aware that no daring hero would burst through the door and save them from the bad guys. 

Suzuka and Kyle's lives depended on him, and Ryan knew better than to take any unnecessary chances. He would do as he was told and hope that Blade – or more likely his team - had enough honor in them to leave the two unconscious Guardians alone.

Blade raised an eyebrow expectantly, waiting for Ryan to speak up.

"To be honest, I don't know what happened," Ryan finally admitted. "It wasn't some deliberate action, if that's what you think."

Blade remained silent, but his look prompted Ryan to continue. 

__

This is probably the only time we'll ever be able to have a fairly civilized conversation without trying to kill each other, Ryan thought, not without a bit of dark amusement. Somehow, the thought comforted him – if he could still see even the faintest bit of irony in the situation, he hadn't been broken yet.

Blade sent Ryan a pointed look that told of dawning impatience, and Ryan forced himself to focus on the task at hand. He concentrated and tried to remember what had happened that night. It felt like it had taken place in another lifetime, and yet it was only three days ago. 

"I think it was when I tried to force my way past your mental shields," Ryan finally said. "I tried to force you to stop, while keeping up my own shields. You tried to predict my next move, and keep me out of your head. Our powers must have clashed, it's the only possible explanation."

Blade nodded slowly.

"It makes sense," he admitted, a part of him almost annoyed that Ryan had found an explanation for their strange situation. "So what do we do about it? Recreate the original situation?"

Ryan sighed.

"Much as I hate to admit it...yeah. That might be our only choice."

"All right," Blade said annoyed. "And how do you suppose we do that?"

Ryan shrugged with forced nonchalance. 

"*You* try to read *my* mind, *I* try to read *your* mind, and we both try to protect ourselves. The worst that can happen is-"

"-That we go insane," Blade finished pointedly.

Ryan sighed.

"Well...yeah."

"Great...fucking great," Blade muttered.

He started to pace with quick, impatient steps, his hands instinctively closing around the handle of his knives. He didn't like the situation one bit. He wanted his own body back, but the risks were not something to be ignored. On the other hand...whatever happened to Blade, would happen to Ryan as well. It was a small comfort, but it *was* a comfort. 

"Blade..." Jordane began, but Blade held up a hand and she stopped.

"No," he said, cutting off any objections Jordane might have had. "No arguments."

He spun around and walked back to Ryan in a few, fast steps. 

"Now listen closely, Cretes," he sneered. "We're going to take that risk, do you understand? We're going to take that risk, and if we go insane, then at least I'll find comfort in the thought that you're in the same situation. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes," Ryan replied and sighed.

Zach exchanged a look with Laetitia. Neither liked the situation, but they were not going to argue with Blade - not while he was in that mood. 

Jordane closed her eyes briefly.

"Blade..." she tried again.

"No, Melee," Blade replied firmly. "I'm the one who'll feel the consequences if something goes wrong. It's my decision."

Jordane paused, clearly not happy with the situation, then sighed.

"I don't like this."

__

Do you think I do? he asked her in the innermost corners of her mind, where only she would hear him.

Jordane bit her lower lip.

__

Just...be careful, she whispered and took a step away from the two men.

Blade nodded, then focused on Ryan. It wasn't going to be easy. He didn't have the same control or training as Ryan had – he didn't have any training, period – so he'd have to use raw force instead. The power usage would result in one hell of a headache, but if things went as they should, Ryan would be the one to enjoy that particular headache once they got back in their right bodies.

"You better be ready," Blade sneered, and without warning he lashed out with his mind. 

Fragments of a second later he regretted it. 

Every wall, every mental barrier, every protective shield his mind had created to protect his sanity from Ryan's powers – they all caved in, leaving him alone and vulnerable in the hurricane of thoughts that assaulted him. Thoughts, feelings, emotions, memories, fears, hopes, dreams, desires - they all melted together, prepared to tear his mind apart the moment he let his last remaining shields down.

Enraged at the sudden mental chaos, Blade reacted the only way he could – he lashed out at Ryan's mind with the full force of his rage and anger, determined not to go down alone. 

Ryan gasped at the sudden attack, but then his instincts took over and reinforced his mental shields before the chaos could cause permanent damage. Another attack, followed by even stronger shields, and Ryan decided to finish what they'd started, before they became so absorbed in their mind-war that they would be too weak to escape into the safety of the real world. 

__

This better work...

Ryan took a deep breath and without warning he attacked. It was limited what damaged he could do with Blade's low-level telepathic powers, but it was enough. 

A flash of blinding pain exploded in his mind, but this time it felt almost comforting. They'd felt the same pain when the switch had first occurred, which meant that they were doing the right thing...he hoped. 

A pair of mental nails dug into his fragile mind, efficiently ending any coherent thoughts. Slowly, excruciatingly slowly, they began to tear his mind apart-

-And maybe this was insanity, but in that case, Ryan no longer cared. With the darkness came oblivion...that was all that mattered.

***

"Blade? Come on, wake up, damnit!"

Blade groaned. The voice sounded familiar, but he was too exhausted to even think about whom it belonged to. He moved slightly, and the person took a step away from him. 

Smart move, Blade decided.

He opened his eyes ever so slowly, carefully getting used to the phosphorescent lights in the room. He looked up and found Jordane watching him with a concerned expression.

__

No wonder the voice sounded familiar, he thought. 

Blade slowly got up, leaning against the wall, not trusting himself to keep his balance. He rubbed his temples and winced. It had hurt – a lot – but it hadn't been nearly as bad as the first time. Maybe it was because their minds had had such a short time to adapt to their new bodies, or maybe it was because they had been prepared for the painful transfer. Either way, Blade didn't care. He was back in his own body, where he belonged, and that was all that mattered.

"Blade?" Jordane asked uncertainly.

She exchanged a worried glance with Laetitia. If something had gone wrong...

"Yeah," Blade finally said. "It worked."

Jordane's eyes lit up, and she gave him a quick hug and then smiled, a bit embarrassed at her own impulsive action. Laetitia touched Blade's shoulder, and he looked at her.

"It's good to have you back," she said with a small smile.

Blade sighed and brushed a wayward strand of hair out of his face with a tired motion.

"It's good to be back. Trust me on that," he replied.

He shook his head slightly to clear his mind, then looked at the others.

"Let's go," he ordered.

Jordane looked at Ryan, who was slowly getting back on his feet.

"What about Cretes and the other two?" she asked, not caring if Ryan heard her. 

Blade paused. All it would take was one word – one word, and the Guardians would lose three of their members. If he ordered Jordane to kill them, she would do so without blinking. Her loyalty to him was absolute; he'd made sure of that long ago. Sure, she might argue with him, but if the push came to shove, she would do as she was told. The incident in the alley had broken her last ounce of rebelliousness, and they both knew it.

One word, but if he gave the order, they would lose any chance of keeping Jhonen on the team. Not that his powers were that useful - it was the principal matter. Jhonen belonged on the team now, and Blade did not intend to scare him away. Besides, what was the fun in killing Ryan if he couldn't defend himself?

"Leave them alone. We'll deal with them another day," Blade finally decided.

He saw a flicker of surprise in Jordane's eyes, but she didn't object. Instead she nodded, and the team left the warehouse as calmly as they had arrived.

Behind them Ryan managed to collect his thoughts for long enough to contact the rest of his team, then leaned against the wall and prepared for a long wait.

***

Coming up: The Shadow Alliance takes a night off to celebrate the reunion, and the UST between Jordane and Blade reach a whole new level...


	29. In the Dark of the Night

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: This chapter will focus on the Shadow Alliance, the next on the Guardians. It was easier to keep track of that way. And I repeat: I do not encourage underage drinking. Hangovers = Bad Thing. Trust me.

Cherry Drop: Well, Kyle and Suzuka *did* expect a fair fight. Unfortunately the Shadow Alliance did not agree...

J.DeLuca: Alcohol? I don't think they'll need that...*eg*

Rascal: UST is Unresolved Sexual Tension. RST is Resolved Sexual Tension. Both are concepts that will show up in the 4th interlude ^_^

XFreakx: Well, Laetitia didn't exactly have a normal childhood. I don't think she even knows how to act like a 'normal' teenager.

***

Chapter Twenty-Six: In the Dark of the Night

***

The drive back to the hotel that the Shadow Alliance stayed at was a blur to Jhonen. The whole thing seemed so...surreal. He suspected that the reality of the situation would catch up with him soon, but for the moment it still felt strangely unreal. Like he wasn't really in the car, but it was just some movie he was watching. 

He was sitting on the back seat next to Zach and listened with half an ear as Jordane brought Blade up to date. They spoke quietly and sometimes it seemed like they almost forgot that they weren't alone in the car. 

Jhonen turned his head slightly to look at Zach. Now *there* was a scary kid – he only needed a few more years to carry his attitude on, and he'd be able to give even Blade a run for his money. Dark clothes, a T-shirt with unusually ugly, red demon on, and a long, black trenchcoat that Jhonen was pretty sure hid more than just the collapsible bo staff. 

Teenager or not, he was definitely not someone you'd want to meet in a dark alley.

Zach noticed Jhonen's look, and smirked.

"Don't worry, I won't bite," he said with a hint of smugness that belied his real age – he was still at the stage where he found it amusing to frighten people with his appearance. It would change, though. In a few years, Zach would treat his appearance just like any other weapon, and use it with impressive results.

Jhonen quickly shook his head and looked away.

"No, it's not that. I'm just – the whole thing just feels so..."

"Surreal?" Blade suggested and turned his head to look at Jhonen.

Jhonen shrugged helplessly.

"Well...yeah. It's not because I'm regretting anything, it's just...hard to comprehend, I guess," Jhonen confessed.

"Give it a little time," Jordane said, taking her eyes off the road for long enough to send him a brief, reassuring look in the rear mirror. "I know it feels weird, but I think you'll like it here. We're not the coldhearted assholes that Cretes claims we are."

Jhonen nodded slowly, and had to admit that she was right. From what he'd seen so far, the Shadow Alliance was nowhere near as evil as Ryan claimed. He'd already seen the way Nike hovered protectively around Pheonix, not to mention the affectionate, almost loving way that Blade treated Jordane. If they were really so evil, they wouldn't have acted that way. 

Jordane turned down a side-road, and finally stopped the car in front of small hotel. Behind them Laetitia followed Jordane's lead and stopped the other car. 

Jhonen slowly got out of the car and took a look around. He wasn't sure what he'd expected, but this wasn't it. The neon-dragons above the entrance, the Oriental decorations...the hotel actually looked nice. Not a place one would expect a group of criminals to spend the night.

"Well...at least they've cleaned it up a bit," Blade remarked to Jordane.

It was apparently a private joke, because Jordane grinned.

"It couldn't get any worse, could it?" she replied. 

Blade smirked and followed Jordane inside. Jhonen hesitated for a second, then raised his head resolutely and followed his new teammates.

***

"Pick a bed, any bed," Aaron said, then added. "Except that one. That's mine. And that one. That's Zach's, and he's too lazy to move."

Almost against his will Jhonen smiled and dropped his jacket on one of the beds. Zach and Aaron had, like the girls, hogged a four-person room, so they wouldn't have to move around to make room for Jhonen. Blade and Jordane – or actually Jordane, since Blade had still been with the Guardians when they'd arrived earlier that day - had picked one of the few two-person rooms on that particular floor, for reasons Jhonen had quickly decided not to wonder about. There were some things he preferred not to know.

It wasn't much he'd brought along from the Guardians – everything had happened so fast, after all – and apparently Aaron had noticed that as well.

"You know, we gotta get you some clothes tomorrow," he commented. 

"We could dump him with the girls, and let them take care of that," Zach suggested with an impish grin. "Naah...too evil."

"Way too evil," Aaron agreed. 

Buy clothes...Jhonen could survive that. There was just one problem – except for a few coins in his pocket, Jhonen didn't have any money with him. He bit in his lower lip and wondered how to bring up the subject, but again it appeared that his two roommates had read his mind.

"Don't worry about money," Zach assured him. "We'll steal a credit card, or grab one of Blade's. Since you're new, I don't think he'd mind."

"What about you? I mean, when you need something?" Jhonen asked. 

Zach shrugged.

"We get a monthly...well, we call it an allowance."

"'Allowance'?" Jhonen repeated, incredulously. 

"It's kind of an in-joke," Aaron explained. "Blade *is* nearly a decade older than most of us, so we – Pheonix, Zach, and me – sometimes call him 'dad' to annoy him. It pissed him off at first, but I think he's gotten used to it by now. 'Sides, it prevents his ego from getting too big." 

"Usually he doesn't like to be reminded of his age," Zach added with a small grin. "I think it's because of the seven-years age difference between him and Melee."

Jhonen held up his hands.

"Too much information! New subject - *please*."

Zach smirked, obviously enjoying Jhonen's reaction to the conversation.

"Would you relax? It's not like they're sleeping together or anything. Although with all that UST between them..." he trailed off with a smug look on his face, and Aaron shook his head.

"Stop scaring our teammate. The poor guy just arrived," he remarked in mock seriousness, and Jhonen couldn't help but smile.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

***

An hour later, when they'd had the chance to shower and relax, the team met in the girls' room. Jhonen received more than a few curious looks as he entered the room with Aaron and Zach, but he forced himself to act casually. He didn't want one of their first memories of him as a teammate to be that of a nervous, jumpy guy. 

"I don't know about you guys, but I really need a night off," Zach said and sat down heavily on one of the beds. "Go out, get wasted, get into a few fights..."

"Skip the fights, and I'm in," Hal said and shrugged. "Not much else to do. Pheonix? Nike?"

Her two roommates exchanged a look, and quickly reached a decision.

"Sounds cool. We're in," Pheonix said.

Jhonen was tempted to stay behind and let his mind catch up with everything that had happened, but the little devil on the left shoulder sang a different song – it would be fun to get out. It had been way too long since he'd last been able to relax like that. Ryan was usually too responsible (or too strict; Jhonen wasn't sure which) to let his team out in the nightlife. With the kind of world they were living in Jhonen really couldn't blame him, but in this case he would be out with people who obviously knew how to defend themselves.

"Sure...count me in," Jhonen finally said with a faint smile. Zach grinned, and Pheonix patted his back. 

"That's the attitude, J.!" she said. "Aaron?"

Aaron shrugged.

"If we pick a bar where I won't have to fight just to get in...sure," he replied.

"Mutant-friendly bar – deal," Pheonix said. "Blade? Jordane? You guys coming?"

Blade shook his head.

"I've had enough excitement for one night, and you're old enough to handle yourselves," he replied. "But no hangovers. We're leaving tomorrow."

"Gotcha, boss. Jordane?"

"No, not tonight," Jordane said and shook her head. "Someone has to stick around and make sure that our glorious leader doesn't get himself into too much trouble," she said with a teasing grin directed at her long-time partner.

"Cute," Blade replied and glared at her, but there was no real anger in his eyes.

Jordane just smirked.

"Well...I guess we'll be going then," Zach said. "See ya later."

Jordane and Blade watched as their team headed down the hallway, chatting among themselves, then returned to their own room to enjoy the welcome silence.

***

It took a while to find a bar that wasn't too anti-mutant, but they finally succeeded. It took a lot less time to get inside – they only had to slip the bouncer a twenty, and he agreed to overlook the fact that their ID cards were fake. 

They picked a table a bit away from the music, so they would be able to talk without having to scream, and then sent Zach and Pheonix to the bar for drinks.

"Hal...right?" Jhonen asked the albino while they waited for the duo to return. He was fairly sure about most of the names, with one or two exceptions – Hal being one of them.

Hal smiled.

"Yeah." She paused, then sent him a curious look. "You hear voices, too?" 

Jhonen blinked.

"What?" he asked, confusion plain on his face.

"The spirits, I mean. You hear spirits, right?" she clarified.

Jhonen nodded.

"Yeah. And usually, they won't shut up," he replied and sighed. "They can be annoying."

"Tell me about it," Hal muttered, and Zach looked at her.

"You hear them, too?" he asked surprised.

"No, no...I don't hear spirits. I...bring luck, I guess. I can see the various timelines, and pick the best one," she explained.

"See? And hear, and feel, too?" Jhonen asked at the advice of one of said voices.

Hal nodded.

"Yeah...it sucks," she replied and sighed.

Something in her tone told Jhonen that she knew exactly how bad it could be not to be in control of your own mind, and he couldn't help but feel a beginning companionship with the girl. Their powers weren't the same, but the results were alike. And somehow it felt good that he wasn't alone in that regard anymore.

Zach and Pheonix returned and placed the various beers and drinks on the table.

"Well, we weren't sure what ya liked, so we picked a screwdriver for ya," Pheonix said. 

"Screwdriver?" Jhonen repeated. 

"Vodka and orange juice. It's good," Zach said and smirked. "Next time we'll drag you along and let you take a good look at the drinks – that's easier."

Jhonen picked up the drink and sent it a suspicious look. It wasn't that he hadn't tried alcohol before – he drunk beer on several occasions – but he hadn't tried this particular drink before. He took an experimental sip. It tasted like plain orange juice.

"Are you sure there's vodka in it?" Jhonen asked. "It doesn't taste that way."

Zach smirked.

"Trust us, we saw the bartender mix it. There's vodka in it, all right."

Jhonen shrugged and downed a good part of the drink. Maybe a little more than he'd intended, but it didn't taste like alcohol, so...

Pheonix shook her head and stood up.

"I'm not sitting here all night. I wanna dance. Come on, Jhonen!"

And before Jhonen could object, Pheonix had dragged him onto the dance floor and started to move her body to the deep beat of the music. At first he felt uncomfortable, but as the alcohol started to take effect he felt himself loosen up and start to move in the same rhythmic movements as Pheonix. The music seemed to enter his body and course through his veins, making it impossible to stand still. Finally he gave up and let go, letting himself soar away on the deep, rhythmic beat, for a brief moment forgetting about teams, mutant camps, ideologies, and police officers. 

Hal joined them on the dance floor and sent him a brilliant smile, her whole body glowing in the ultraviolet light, a strange contrast to Pheonix' almost black skin. A new song began, taking control of his body through bass and beat.

It was a weird night.

***

Coming up: Ryan broods, the Guardians have to deal with the fact that Jhonen isn't coming back, and when things look worst, Prue visits an old friend who pass along some disturbing rumors...


	30. 4th Interlude: Sexual Tensions

I would like to remind people that this fic has an 'R' rating. This means that I can post anything short of explicit sex. Just thought I'd let you know...

Oh, and the next chapters will be posted slower – school's starting again :P

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: In regards to this interlude, I'm completely innocent. It was the two characters in question that insisted...*cough* (and to my defense it must be said that sex *can* be used to give characters depth...^_^)

Sabrin: What an evil idea! *eg* Wonder if I could work it in somewhere...

***

Fourth Interlude: Sexual Tensions

***

After nearly four years with someone, you learned to pay attention to the small things – the way they walked, their gestures, even the silence between their words. Jordane had become good at reading those small things over the years, and right now everything around Blade practically screamed frustration. 

It wasn't a surprise – after three days with the Guardians Jordane had expected him to be frustrated – but even the fact that she'd seen it coming didn't help on her mood. She knew from experience that his preferred way to deal with frustration was training, and he was in no condition to do that. Headaches, fatigue, and hard physical training should not be mixed, but Blade had a nasty habit of ignoring his common sense.

As they entered their room, Blade started to rummage through his bag for his old training clothes, and Jordane sighed.

She could tell him that she didn't think it was a good idea, but she'd tried that approach before with no result. Or she could leave and come back later, and hope that he had worked out his frustration. She opted for the latter.

"I'm gonna get something to eat," she said with a small sigh. "I'll be back later."

Blade nodded absently, and pulled the clothes out of the bag. Jordane shook her head and left the room, and as she closed the door, she heard the sound of furniture being moved to clear the floor. She sighed again, then disappeared down the hallways.

***

When Jordane returned nearly an hour later, the room was silent, like she'd expected. She shut the door quietly and took a look around. The few pieces of furniture in the small room had yet to be moved back where they belonged, and a good part of the floor had been cleared to make room for workout. The faded clothes that Blade used when he trained had been tossed haphazardly on one of the chairs, with two familiar guns and several knives on top of them. 

Jordane shook her head and headed towards the bathroom. A mist of hot, humid air greeted her as she opened the door, and she could feel her skin turning damp as the moisture came into contact with it.

Blade had obviously just gotten out of the shower – a towel hung loosely on his hips, and his wet hair was pretty much a tangled mess. Jordane leaned against the doorway, silently watching her partner in crime. Blade didn't bother to turn around. He knew she was there, and she knew that he knew it. They felt no need to start a pointless conversation, and instead they settled for a comfortable silence. 

Jordane watched as Blade ran a brush through his still-damp hair, seemingly indifferent to the fact that he was only wearing a towel. The beginning of a new bruise caught Jordane's attention and she winced slightly. She knew where it came from, of course. Blade did not tolerate shortcomings, especially not in himself. He wanted to be – and probably was – the best, but the training he put himself through was brutal.

"You push yourself too far," she finally said and shook her head. 

"Failure is not an option," Blade replied with a dismissive gesture. 

Jordane sighed. She'd head the reply countless times before, but she still didn't like it. But at least this time he was still able to remain on his feet. That hadn't always been the case in the past, especially not if he felt he'd screwed up during an assignment.

"It's just...I'm worried about you," she admitted.

Finally Blade turned around and looked at her in amusement.

"Worried? About me?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.

Jordane blushed slightly and looked away.

"I'm your friend. I have a right to be concerned," she said defensively. "You might not like it, but..."

Blade moved closer and Jordane trailed off.

"I don't mind," he mumbled and stroked her cheek affectionately. Jordane's breath hitched and she became painfully aware of just how few layers of clothes separated them. Blade was standing so close to her that Jordane could feel the heat from his body, and she felt the hairs at the back of her neck rise in anticipation. 

Blade ran a hand down her arm, barely brushing her heated skin, and she bit her lips lightly.

"Don't play with me..." she pleaded softly. For the first time in years, Jordane felt defenseless. Had he been any other man, she could easily have dealt with him, but not Blade. He knew her too well; wielded too much power over her.

"Never with you, my Queen," Blade whispered and caressed a lock of faded, blue hair. "Never with you."

He ran a hand down her side, pausing briefly to caress her left nipple with a feather-light touch, and Jordane bit back a moan. It felt so right, so good. She'd wanted him almost from the day she met him, and she had waited impatiently for him to see her as something other than a stubborn child. 

And now, it appeared, she would get her wish. The consequences no longer mattered, only the present did. 

Blade drew her closer, and Jordane wrapped her legs around his waist, tossing the towel on the floor. Their mouths met in a hungry kiss, their tongues searching, teasing as their hands started to wander, caressing soft skin and hard muscle. They were determined to finish what they'd started earlier in the warehouse, and this time there would be no one to stop them.

He carried her out of the bathroom, never breaking the kiss. They stopped next to the bed, unwilling to let go of each other, even for the briefest of moments. Finally Jordane drew away, her breath fast and ragged.

"Bed. Now," she gasped, her eyes already darkened with desire.

Blade smirked and bit lightly in the soft skin of her throat, forcing another moan from Jordane. She was so passionate, so responsive to his touch. Deadly, fierce, loyal...she was perfect. And more importantly - she was his, and his alone. 

"Impatient, are we?" he teased gently.

"Fuck you," Jordane mumbled and kissed him again.

"...That *was* the plan," Blade smirked. "Glad you approve."

She dug her nails into his back, leaving red marks behind, but they were both beyond caring. Never breaking the kiss they fell down on the bed, hands exploring and getting rid of the last pieces of clothes, tongues clashing and teasing as they lost themselves in each other. The world outside no longer existed, only their own, little universe did.

Neither got much sleep that night.

***

Coming up: Ryan takes the recent events rather personal, and the Guardians are forced to face the fact that Jhonen isn't coming back. And just when things look worst, Prue visits an old friend who can tell about some disturbing rumors...


	31. Regrets

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: New character – West Cronwell, property of Alikat. Profile has been uploaded.

MissNovelist: I know, and I promise I'll play nice from now on ;) Okay, *try* to play nice ^^. Okay, okay...I'll give you enough time to clear the blast radius. That better? *g*

WritingMoose: That was not detailed. Compared to the normal NC-17 fics out there (and probably a lot of 'R' rated fics as well), this could be a Disney movie. Besides, there has been numerous warning during the signup process, as well as in the first chapter. Oh, and Jhonen *will* met his former teammates again, but will he fight? Hmm...now *that* is the question. Thanks for the bunny ;)

Alikat: *Shuffles feet* Well...Blade and Jordane kind of insisted, soo...

Archangel: I just wrote a Fortune-fic. It's all your fault *pouts* ;)

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Regrets

***

Dawn came slowly, almost reluctantly, hidden behind a heavy blanket of dark rainclouds. Dark, gloomy, cold...

Somehow Ryan found it very appropriate. He was sitting outside the cabin, tired, both mentally and physically, but unable to find any rest.

It had been a long evening. A long evening and a long night. Explanations first, then disbelief. Anger, when the reality of the situation finally set in. And sadness when all other emotions had run dry.

Loss was never a pleasant experience. 

"It wasn't your fault, Ryan. Don't blame yourself"

Ryan looked up and saw Diana leaning against one of the walls of the cabin. She looked only slightly better than Ryan himself felt, and somehow it just served to make Ryan's mood even worse. *He* was the one who'd fucked up – he was the one who'd challenged Blade to a fight, he was the one who'd caused the mindswitch, and he was the one who'd failed to stop Jhonen from siding with the enemy. It was his fault, and it wasn't fair that his team had to feel that guilt as well. 

He sighed and shook his head, unwilling to get into an argument with Diana. No matter how she twisted and turned it, ultimately the blame would lie with him. No use in arguing about something that couldn't be changed.

"Ryan...it wasn't your-" Diana tried to repeat, but Ryan was in no mood for that kind of conversations. 

"How are Kyle and Ben?" he asked, interrupting her before she could finish the sentence. 

Diana shrugged, allowing him to change the subject.

"Still asleep," she replied. "Ben said that it was a nasty poison. Even with his powers, it will take at least a day before the last traces of the poison has disappeared."

Ryan leaned against the wall of the cabin and closed his eyes.

"Kyle is lucky that he's still alive. That poison is lethal...I've seen Viper use it before."

Diana frowned.

"Do you think they were trying to kill him?"

Ryan sighed.

"I'm...I don't know," he admitted. "Not a big surprise," he added with a small, bitter smile.

"Ryan..." Diana tried, but Ryan just shook his head.

"No. I started this team, Diana. I'm supposed to take care of you, remember? When I first met Jhonen I promised that I'd protect him, and in the end...I couldn't even protect him from himself."

"Ryan!" Diana snapped, her voice harder than she'd intended. She didn't mean to sound so harsh, but her own guilt had slowly but steadily eaten away of her patience. She felt just as guilty as Ryan did – she had known the telepath for years, and yet she'd failed to realize what had happened. Ryan and Blade were fundamentally different, and she still hadn't been able to see that Blade had been deceiving them for three whole days. 

"It wasn't your fault," Diana continued a bit gentler and crouched next to him. "*Jhonen* was the one who made that choice, not you. He's old enough to control his own life."

Ryan opened his eyes and sent her a tired look.

"No. I promised I'd protect him, and I screwed up. That's all there is to it," he replied. He watched her for a moment, then shook his head. "Go back inside, Diana. Get some rest."

Diana sighed. The message was clear - _go back inside and leave me alone_ – and she knew that arguing with him would be pointless. She gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze, then headed back into the cabin.

***

Prue was lying on the old couch in the small living room, idly flipping through a dog-eared magazine, when Diana came in. Prue looked up.

"How's he doing?"

Diana shook her head.

"He blames himself. Go figure," she added with a small sigh. 

Prue nodded and Diana sat down next to her.

"Where are Deirdre and Suzuka?" she asked.

"In the bedroom. Trying to get some sleep, I guess," Prue replied.

Diana just nodded and leaned back with a tired expression on her face. It didn't take a telepath to figure out how mentally exhausted she was, and Prue felt a wave of sympathy. She herself had only been with the Guardians for four days, and she still felt hurt by Jhonen's deflection. She couldn't even begin to imagine what the others were going through.

Prue shook her head and made a quick decision. Diana needed to relax a bit, before she suffered an emotional burnout.

"You need to get your mind off Jhonen and Ryan," she said. "Come on. Ryan won't mind if we borrow his car, will he?"

Prue stood up and then pulled Diana to her feet.

"What?" Diana asked confused. "Where are we going?"

Prue smiled.

"I lived here in Chicago not long ago, you know, and there's a friend I want to visit."

"Who?" Diana asked. A part of her didn't want to leave the others, but she also knew that there wasn't much she could do right now, anyway, and that she might as well come along.

Prue smiled and opened the door.

"His name is West. Come on – it'll be fun. I promise."

***

Ten minutes, a drive, and a quick note to the others later the two young women found themselves in front of a small restaurant. Diana raised an eyebrow.

"He lives *here*?" she asked.

Prue grinned.

"Above the restaurant, actually. He's renting a room. He works here as a waiter."

Diana frowned.

"Won't he be pissed at us for showing up at..." she checked her watch. "...Seven o'clock, especially if he works in the evening?"

Prue smirked and led Diana into a small hallway.

"It'll be good for him to get up early for once in his life."

They passed a couple of dark wooden doors, then stopped at the one with the number '4' on it. Prue knocked - hard and repeatedly. She stopped, and the two girls heard the faint sound of movement inside the room.

Prue knocked again, this time a bit harder.

"Yeah?" Someone yelled, not bothering to open the door.

"Wakie-wakie, Westie!" Prue cooed. "It's your favorite, little, mutant Hell-raiser!"

A loud groan could be heard from within the room, and then the door was opened. A bleary-eyed teen looked at them from underneath a curtain of messy, brown hair. According to Prue he was seventeen, although personally Diana thought he looked older.

The boy groaned again at the sight of the way-too-happy smile Prue had plastered on her face, and Diana got the distinctive feeling that this was a long-running joke between the two.

"Hi Prue! Bye Prue!" he said with fake enthusiasm and tried to close the door. 

Prue grinned and pushed the door open gently but firmly.

"Come on, be a good host. This is Diana. Diana, meet West Cronwell. Forgive his lack of manners – he's not a morning person."

West shook his head and motioned for Diana to sit down.

"Have a seat. Want some coffee? Or maybe a painkiller? Anyone who has to put up with Prue for extended periods of time definitely needs one of those."

Diana couldn't help but smile. It felt good to hear some lighthearted banter – it lifted her mood a bit, and made the burden of guilt a little easier to carry.

West yawned and turned on the coffee machine. 

"Sorry 'bout the mess," he said and indicated the room.

Prue took a look around and only then did she really notice the large boxes on the floor. She let her gaze wander across the room and realized that just about any personal touches were gone – posters, pictures, magazines...

"You moving out?" she asked surprised.

West frowned.

"You haven't heard? But it-" 

He blinked, his sleep-muddled brain suddenly realizing something. "Oh, yeah...you haven't been here for almost two months."

"What's going on?" Prue asked a bit worried. Anything that could make West act seriously was definitely bad news.

West sighed and sent the coffee machine an impatient glare.

"There have been rumors going on among muties all around town. It's the FoH. They're planning something, and whatever it is, it's big."

"Wait, wait – rumors? What rumors?" Diana asked, speaking for the first time she they arrived. 

West yawned again.

"Sorry," he said, then blinked. "Oh, yeah, the rumors. Apparently they've been buying guns and ammo – lots of it. Other weapons, too. I think someone mentioned plastic explosives."

Diana paled, and Prue shook her head.

"Wait – weapons?" she repeated. "Don't they have enough of them already?"

West nodded tiredly.

"They do. And that's why I'm getting out of town. Anything that can make the FoH buy more weapons is not something I want to hang around to see."

The coffee machine finished its job with a strangled sound and West quickly poured a cup of the black liquid. He took a sip and sighed blissfully, ignoring his guests' obvious confusion. Finally he looked up and held out the coffeepot. 

"Oh, sorry, did you want some?" he asked like he hadn't just dropped the bombshell of the day.

Prue and Diana exchanged a look, and Prue shook her head.

"West...we need to talk."

***

Coming up: Deirdre and Suzuka are determined to do something other than brood, and back with the Shadow Alliance some people have a less pleasant morning than others...


	32. Dawn

Sorry that the chapter was a bit belated – an unexpected visitor stayed during the weekend.

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net. Go on---I don't bite ;)

A/N 2: T'Girl: Well...Jhonen *might* be hooked up with someone. Maybe. Kinda. In a way...*cough*

***

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Dawn

***

Jordane woke up to the pleasant feeling of someone tracing lazy circles on her abdomen. It took her a moment to realize that she was snuggled up next to Blade, and then another to remember what had happened the night before.

She turned her head slightly, and found herself staring into Blade's pale blue eyes. They held an almost possessive intensity she hadn't seen before, but for some reason it had a comforting effect on her. It meant that it hadn't been a one-night-stand. It made her feel wanted. Needed. 

It made her feel safe.

Jordane yawned and snuggled closer, enjoying the feeling of a warm body next to her. Blade just smirked and kept tracing patterns on her body with his fingers.

"Sleep well?" he finally asked.

Jordane nodded lazily, unwilling to do anything that might pull her out of her content state. She turned slightly to look at her lover, and only then did she notice the red marks that marred his shoulder. She traced the marks with her fingers and looked at Blade with an uncertain look in her eyes.

"Did I...?"

Blade leaned closer and bit her neck lightly, making it very difficult for Jordane to think clearly.

"I don't mind," he mumbled against her neck, before pulling away again.

Jordane sighed contentedly and snuggled against his chest, determined not to get out of bed anytime soon. 

"I don't wanna get up. Can't we stay here all day?" she asked.

Blade smirked.

"Well...I don't think anyone else is up yet, so..." he trailed off and let his hand linger suggestively on her hip.

Jordane giggled.

"You're a bad boy."

Blade raised an eyebrow inquiringly. 

"Was there ever any doubt?" he asked, sounding vaguely amused.

"Not really," Jordane smirked.

"Good. I'd hate to end up like Cretes," Blade mumbled and kissed her shoulder, then followed her neckline with small, teasing kisses.

"No chance of that," Jordane breathed.

She leaned back and let herself enjoy his attention, but somewhere in the back of her mind a thought was slowly fighting its way through her lust-muddled brain. Quite an accomplishment, really, everything considered.

"Blade?" Jordane asked as she suddenly realized what her mind was trying to tell her.

"Mhmm...?" Blade replied, doing his best to distract her with feather-like kisses on her neck, occasionally accompanied by a gently bite. 

"Do you think they put Jhonen through the initiation-hangover?" she asked.

Blade looked at her, and understanding dawned in his eyes. Jhonen...team...bar...

Shit.

"Oh, damn..." he muttered. "Please tell me we don't have a hungover, new teammate to deal with."

Jordane smiled apologetic, but her eyes held a spark of amusement.

"We better find out, don't you think?" she asked, and began to make her way out of the bed with obvious reluctance.

Blade shook his head and pulled her back with a swift movement.

"Later," he decided and caught her mouth in a searing kiss. 

Jordane immediately forgot about Jhonen, bars, and hungover teammates, and concentrated on her lover instead.

"Later?" she breathed as they finally broke the kiss. "Later is good."

Blade just smirked and kissed her again.

***

It was a truly pitiful sight that met them an hour later. They had woken up the others and asked them to meet in the boys' room. It was a wise decision, seeing as none of the boys were very keen at getting up. Hal and Pheonix felt a little better, but not much. Only Laetitia, a professional to the tip of her fingers, had been wise enough to stop before she'd had too much. 

The others had not had the same foresight. 

Aaron had spent several minutes trying to open a bottle of painkillers until Laetitia finally took pity on him and opened the bottle for him. Zach was curled up in an old sweatshirt and looked anything but threatening. Hal complained about her headache, and Pheonix complained that Hal was complaining too loudly. Jhonen just groaned and pulled the covers over his head.

If it hadn't been such a pathetic scene, Blade might even have found it funny. Jordane obvious did, though – she tried to hide her grin, but did a very, very poor job. Even Laetitia smirked at the sight of her hungover teammates. 

Blade sighed and forced himself to show a little patience – it *was* a tradition, after all. It was a kind of initiation, or at least the closest thing they had to it. To get their new teammate drunk and hungover, both because it was fun, but certainly also to see how said teammate would react under less-than-pleasant circumstances. Usually, it would only end with one hungover team member, but this time someone had obviously underestimated Jhonen's tolerance for alcohol.

"Didn't I tell you that we were supposed to leave town today?" Blade finally asked, and let a bit of his annoyance shine through.

Hal bit her lips and looked away, and Zach shrugged weakly.

"But it's a tradition," he said defensively. 

Something that sounded suspiciously like a choked snicker could be heard from Jordane and Laetitia, and Blade rubbed his temples.

"And it started out as such a good morning," he mumbled. 

He sent his teammates another look, then sighed again.

"Alright. We'll stay one more day. But we *will* leave tomorrow, and I don't care *what* condition you're in," he stated. "Have I made myself clear?"

Muted nods followed his words, and Blade, Jordane, and Laetitia left the room to let their hungover teammates enjoy the misery alone.

***

"I can't believe he would do something like that!" Suzuka repeated and tossed her pillow across the room with an angry movement. 

Deirdre sighed.

"Me neither. He seemed so nice. A bit weird sometimes, but nice."

Suzuka snorted and started to pace the room with quick, angry steps.

"We have to do something," she finally stated. "We can't just let them get away with this."

"What *can* we do?" Deirdre asked. "Ryan would never risk an attack, you know that. And *we* can't do anything because we don't know where they're staying."

Suzuka sat down heavily on the bed.

"It's just...we have to do something," she said and sighed. "I don't know about you, but I'm not just going to sit here and wait for the Shadow Alliance to attack us."

Deirdre rolled her eyes.

"Do you think *I* will? But it's not like there's anything we *can* do, now is there?" she retorted.

Suzuka shook her head.

"No, there isn't," she admitted. "Not unless-" she stopped, and a slow smile appeared on her face.

"What? What is it?" Deirdre asked suspiciously. 

Suzuka's eyes lit up in a way that made every alarm in Deirdre's mind go off, and she quickly stood up. 

"What if we got some inside information on the Shadow Alliance? That way we might be prepared next time they try anything," she said, a certain eagerness creeping into her voice.

Deirdre held up her hands.

"Wait, wait - where would we get that 'inside information' from? We can't just walk up to wherever they're staying and take a look around."

"Why not?" Suzuka said and smirked. "I could turn into a small animal - a mouse, or a snake, or something - and take a look around. No one would suspect a thing."

"You're crazy," Deirdre said and shook her head. "Do you have any idea of what they'd do if they discovered you?"

"I won't get caught, trust me," Suzuka said with quiet confidence. "You know I'm good - I could sneak inside, take a look around, and get out again before anyone suspects a thing."

"But we don't know where they're staying," Deirdre objected, although she was already starting to like the plan.

"Didn't Ryan tell Diana? We could ask her. After what they did to Ryan, she wants to even with them, too," Suzuka suggested.

Deirdre shook her head. It was a crazy plan. Crazy and dangerous. But they had a reputation for making that kind of plan work, didn't they? Besides, that way they could make sure that the Shadow Alliance wasn't planning an attack...and maybe even find some weaknesses in their enemies, now they were at it. It would certainly give them an advantage in a future confrontation if they knew Blade's or Zach's or Laetitia's weaknesses. It would be worth the risk, wouldn't it? It would be dangerous, but it would be worth the risk if it could help keep their teammates safe.

"If we're gonna do this, we'll have to do it at night," Deirdre finally said and stood up as well. "Early morning, maybe. That way no one will be awake, and-"

"-And Ryan won't get suspicious," Suzuka finished for her. "It'll work, 'Dre. I know it."

Deirdre looked at her and smiled slowly.

Yes, it would work - they would make sure of that.

***

Coming up: The Guardians have a chat with West, and Deirdre and Suzuka find out where the Shadow Alliance is hiding...


	33. The Burden of Leadership

The next couple of chapters will be a bit belated - real life came a-knockin'. Again. Gah. 

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: MissNovelist: Well...that depends on what plot twist you're talking about. I have a lot of those planned, you know...*eg*

WritingMoose: Don't worry, Jhonen won't end up in a slash pairing. If he gets paired up, it will be a pairing with...a twist *he, he*. And in regards to powerful bad guys...there's an explanation for that. Really. 1) The Shadow Alliance have their ruthlessness and lack of morals working for them, the Guardians don't. 2) In some warped way, this is my way of dealing with all the all-powerful, glorious good guy teams I've seen. I guess that at some point I just got tired of good guys who would always win, no matter how powerful their enemies were. I wanted a team of bad guys that didn't constantly argue and could actually work together. I don't care if the fic will have a morally correct ending or not. I wanted to give the bad guys a chance for once, and if they happen to be more powerful than the good guys...then so be it. 

***

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Burden of Leadership

***

"You know, I remember that I had a normal life once," Ben remarked and took a sip of his tea. "A nice, normal life with parents, and school, and the possibility to turn on the TV without being afraid of what they might say on the news."

Kyle sent him a sympathetic look, then poured a cup of tea to himself and sat down next to the young healer. 

"Do you miss it?" he asked.

Ben shrugged.

"Sometimes. I like it here, but sometimes...sometimes things just go too fast," he explained.

Kyle nodded.

"Yeah."

He paused, watching the rest of the team absently. They were gathered in the living room, listening to West's report of the FoH activities in Chicago. Neither Kyle nor Ben had felt up to anything that required concentration, and had retreated to the small kitchen. They would hear the full story eventually, anyway.

"I miss New York, too, you know" he confided. "It felt safe. We knew what to expect. This..." he stopped and shook his head. "This is too unpredictable."

"And exposed. And unsafe," Ben added with a small sigh. 

"We're not completely defenseless, Benji," Kyle disagreed.

Ben sent him a sad smile.

"Maybe not...but sometimes it feels that way."

Kyle didn't reply, maybe because they both knew that he couldn't argue the truth of the words.

***

In the other end of the cabin, in the small living room, Ryan sent Kyle and Ben a concerned look. The two males were still tired - as exhausted as they were, they probably shouldn't even have been up in the first place, but it was too late for that now. 

He forced his attention away from the two, and back to West. The boy - a mutant with the ability to erase people's memories - was explaining what he'd heard about the FoH around town. Judging from what he'd told them so far, things weren't looking too good. 

"-Sure, people have been guessing, but no one really knows what they're up to," West said. 

"Guesses?" Ryan asked. "What guesses?"

West shrugged.

"You name it. Anything from riots, protests, and new anti-mutant groups, up to and including genocide. Personally, I have no idea, but whatever it is, I'm not staying around to see it." 

"Smart kid," Prue said with a wry grin. 

West smirked.

"Love you too, babe," he replied, and Prue smiled.

Ryan watched the exchange carefully. Ever since he'd found out about West's plans, he'd considered asking the boy to join the Guardians. They might be able to use his talents, and besides, it wouldn't be safe for a seventeen-year-old to travel alone. 

The only thing he'd wondered about was the boy's ability to work in a team, and that was why he'd kept an eye on West for the past hour.

What he'd seen so far had made him optimistic. West seemed remarkably good at adapting to a team, and didn't act like a troublemaker. Maybe it had something to do with his mutation - that he was afraid that he would accidentally hurt a friend if he lost control of his powers - but whatever it was, it worked. 

Ryan slowly nodded and reached a decision.

"How are you planning to get around?" he asked casually. "It's not safe for someone your age to travel alone, you know."

West shrugged.

"I don't know. I kinda hoped that my powers would be able to protect me, or at least until I found some safe place to stay."

Ryan nodded again.

"You could always tag along with us," he offered. Several of the Guardians looked surprised at him, but nobody objected. Prue just sent him a grateful smile and a silent 'thank you'. While she hadn't told anyone, she had been concerned about West's future wellbeing if he had chosen to travel around on his own. 

West blinked surprised.

"You're serious?"

Ryan shrugged.

"Sure," he said and smiled slightly. "We're mutants. We're supposed to stick together, right?"

"Come on...I promise that they're not as bad as they look," Prue added teasingly. 

West looked around, searching for any signs of objection among the other Guardians. To his surprise, he found none. He blinked again, still trying to comprehend the magnitude of the offer. He would become part of a team. He wouldn't be alone again.

"Well?" Ryan asked and raised an eyebrow.

"I..." West started, then stopped, unable to find the right words. "Thank you," he finally said with a warm smile. 

Ryan smiled back, and Prue hugged West.

"Welcome on the team, W.," she said, and the others expressed similar notes of welcome, all accompanied by a warm, caring feeling that Ryan couldn't help but pick up through his powers. He smiled and watched as Deirdre and Prue chatted happily with their new teammate. If he'd only paid a bit more attention, he would have sensed the sudden waves of seriousness and grim determination from Suzuka as she pulled Diana aside.

"We gotta talk. Outside, in one hour. Don't tell anyone," was her quiet request, and Diana just nodded confused and decided to play along with whatever strangeness Suzuka was up to.

And as quickly as it had appeared, the grim determination disappeared and became genuine joy as Suzuka welcomed West. It was gone so fast that Ryan never got the chance to realize that Suzuka was up to something.

It was a fact he would regret for a long time.

***

"No! Absolutely not!" Diana stated one hour later, after Suzuka and Deirdre's explanation. "I'm not going to let you two wander right into the lion's den. Not a chance!"

Deirdre sighed and was suddenly glad that they'd walked a bit away from the cabin to talk - this way Diana's loud protests wouldn't alert anyone to their plan.

"Come on, Dee. It's not like we're gonna do anything dangerous," Deirdre objected. 

"'Not gonna do anything dangerous'?" Diana repeated, not quite sure whether to laugh or cry. She finally settled on disbelief. "You're going to walk right into the arms of the Shadow Alliance, and you call it 'not dangerous'?!"

Suzuka glared at Deirdre, mentally telling her to shut up.

"What 'Dre *meant* to say was that we'll be careful," Suzuka corrected. "Yes, it's a bit dangerous, but think about how much trouble it might save us later." 

Diana sighed and sat down heavily on the soft grass. It had been a bad day, and Deirdre and Suzuka's crazy idea was not making things any better. Diana looked at her two teammates, and suddenly felt much older than her almost seventeen years. 

"Alright. I'll bite. What kind of trouble do you mean?" she asked tiredly. 

"I'm talking about the Shadow Alliance. Who knows what they're planning? I mean, they have Jhonen on their side now - he knows a lot about us. And both he and Blade know where we are. They could be planning an attack even as we speak," Suzuka told her, putting a bit of pressure behind her words. 

Diana frowned. The words made sense, but she wasn't convinced. It was quite a risk Suzuka would be taking, and Diana didn't like it one bit. It must have shown on her face, because Suzuka sighed and sat down in front of Diana

"You know them," she continued. "You know they would do it."

Diana still didn't reply, and Suzuka pressed on.

"Come on...you know what they did to Kyle. He was hopelessly outnumbered, and they still used fire against him. There were a dozen other ways they could have taken him out, and they still used the one thing that terrifies him. If that isn't unfair fighting, I don't know what is," she finished and shook her head.

Diana sighed and closed her eyes. She was well aware of the consequences of the choice she was about to make. If she helped Suzuka and Deirdre, they could get valuable information about the Shadow Alliance, but there was a real risk that they might get caught in the process. On the other hand...if she *didn't* help them, they would be completely unprepared if the Shadow Alliance decided to attack. 

That decision was too heavy a burden for a sixteen-year-old to carry, but Diana didn't have a choice. Ryan would never go along with Suzuka's plan, no matter what advantages it might give them. Some part of Diana knew that the wisest thing to do would be to agree with Ryan and tell the duo to stay at home, and still...right now Ryan was in no condition to make that choice. It had been a cruel trick the Shadow Alliance had played on him, and he still wasn't over the emotional scars of his ordeal. As capable a leader as he was, at that moment he wouldn't be able to make a decision based on logical arguments. 

And Suzuka was good, Diana knew that. She was good, and if anyone could get close to the Shadow Alliance without being seen, it would be her. It would be risky, sure, but it would be worth that risk if it could prepare them for a possible future attack. 

Diana opened her eyes and saw the half-nervous, half-hopeful looks Suzuka and Deirdre sent her. With a silent pray that she was doing the right thing, Diana reached into her pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. She hesitated for a moment, then gave Suzuka the paper with the address.

"Just...be careful, okay? I don't want to lose any more teammates," Diana finally surrendered.

Suzuka nodded, and Deirdre smiled.

"We'll be careful. We promise."

Diana just closed her eyes, and silently cursed the day Ryan had given her the responsibility and power that followed the position as his second in command. 

***

Coming up: Deirdre and Suzuka put their crazy plan in motion...but is it such a good idea after all?


	34. Vignette: Conversations

A couple of days ago VivaGlam wrote an awesome vignette about Jhonen and Laetitia, and she's graciously allowed me to post it for her. Thanks babe! :) You rock, chica ^^

And don't forget to R/R ^_^

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Conversations

By VivaGlam

A Vignette

(Takes place after chapter 26, when the Shadow Alliance is still at the bar)

$@$@$@$@$@$@$@$

Jhonen left the pulsing lights of the dance floor, and headed back to the table that the Shadow Alliance had claimed for themselves, which now was occupied only by Laetitia. Zach was off by himself, making out with a woman in one of the darker reaches of the bar, and Aaron was on the dance floor with Pheonix and Hal, writhing his body in time to the music, his movements sinuous and snakelike, true to his namesake, even if he wasn't doing it intentionally. 

Laetitia was dressed in a soft beige silk dress that had a neckline that plunged in a deep curve, sensually, all the way down to her waist, revealing a tempting amount of smooth, dark skin in the process. She had the long limbed grace of a model, and the delicate cheekbones and impossibly full, sensual lips to match. One was rather reminded of Angelina Jolie when looking at her, and he couldn't help but feel intimidated at having to share a table, alone, with the imposing Greek mercenary.

But he was tired, and wanted a break from dancing. So he slid into the seat opposite the Greek woman, and asked her the first question that came to his mind, not wanting to have to face an uncomfortable silence between the two of them. "Aren't you gonna dance?" He asked, hoping that she would agree, and leave the table to him.

"I'm not the dancing type." Her response was simple, and curt. 

"Oh." Jhonen was without a proper answer, and he had been searching frantically for something to say, when she downed the rest of the wine cooler that she had been drinking, and got up.

"Let's go." It was not a request, but a command. Jhonen paused, not sure whether to go with Laetitia or not. His instincts told him not to follow her, but she was on his side now, and she wouldn't hurt him - would she? 

Laetitia had already gotten up, and was headed towards the entrance of the bar. Before Jhonen knew it, he had stood up from the table, and raced towards her, hoping that he would not lose her in the masses of people crowding the bar. He ducked and weaved around people, and suddenly burst from the dark heat of the bar into the cool night air. Laetitia was waiting for him, looking even more statuesque than usual in her 3-inch high stilettos. He walked up to her, and they crossed the road together, walking to the bar across the street.

Instead of having to show their ID to the bouncers standing outside, the two of them just waltzed through the entrance, largely, in Jhonen's opinion, thanks to Laetitia's sophisticated appearance. They made their way over to the bar, and Laetitia ordered drinks for the two of them. "Bourbon, on the rocks. And a screwdriver." Jhonen gingerly perched himself on a stool next to Laetitia, and took the drink that she had left for him. She took a sip, and started talking. "Tell me, Jhonen, why you left the Guardians."

Jhonen paused, shocked that such a question had come out of seemingly nowhere. "Well…" He trailed off, unsure of what to say. 

"Don't lie." She said again, in between sips. She saw Jhonen's hesitation, and continued speaking. "Just tell the truth."

He looked at her. Somehow, that last statement had felt encouraging, and he took it as a sign to be honest. "I felt that Blade wasn't the kind of person that I'd thought he was. He fought for a reason, and he told me that you guys did, too."

No comment from Laetitia. He took that as a sign that he should continue talking, and he did. "I found myself agreeing with what Blade said, and so I decided to come over and give this a go."

"Do you feel that Ryan lied to you?" she asked. This time around, she looked him in the eyes, and he noted, with surprise, that her eyes were a deep violet color. Somehow, he'd never expected that.

"I… don't know. Not really. But in a way, I feel that he shouldn't have made you guys as evil-sounding as he did."

"Because we're not. Is that what you're saying?" She asked.

Jhonen simply nodded. Suddenly, before he could react, almost too quickly for the eye to see, she had gotten off the stool, and enveloped his wrist in an iron grip. She held it up, and leaned in close to him, bending down so she was at his eye level. "We may not be evil Jhonen, but we are dangerous. Never forget that." 

She was standing so close to him that he could feel the soft heat of her breath, and they could have rubbed noses with each other, if they wished. He found himself startled, shocked, and fearful at the sudden swiftness and complete unpredictability of the movement, and he was acutely reminded of the fact that he was helpless in such a situation. 

Frightened, Jhonen's breath came in quick gasps, his heart pounding, and yet, he could do nothing except look into Laetitia's intense eyes. The few seconds stretched out into an eternity, and Jhonen could almost see his life flash before his eyes. But, just as suddenly as she had him paralyzed in her grip, Laetitia was sitting back in her chair, delicately sipping her bourbon. "I don't blame Ryan, really." 

Jhonen rubbed his wrist cautiously, unsure of what he should say. Laetitia had intended to frighten him with her last move, he was certain of that. But what else had she wanted to tell him? He really didn't know. 

Meanwhile, Laetitia continued talking, her Grecian accent giving her words just a hint of smoky huskiness. "In order to keep you with him, he used propaganda. He merely wanted the best for you. All the great leaders have done the same thing. Some of the greatest dictators in history have done so. Hitler, for one. He may have only had to go up against the witless fools of the allies and the League of Nations, but he was brilliant when it came to carrying out his plans and agenda. Millions of people, devoted to his cause, because of his propaganda. Many remember him for the genocide that he had attempted, but I remember him for the brilliance of his propaganda techniques. Those were his real weapons. Not armies, not tanks, not submarines. His words."

Jhonen was floored by this open praising of one of the worst men who had ever existed in history. "How could you-" His voice was shrill, and indignant, but before he could stutter out his objection to that observation, Laetitia cut him off.

"Tell me about your childhood, Jhonen." 

This sudden change of topic left him speechless. How could one jump from dictators to talking about your childhood? Especially when her opinion was as radical as that. She swiveled around on the stool to face him, and he found himself having to meet her gaze. She leaned back against the counter of the bar, and crossed her legs. To his chagrin, he found himself having a good view down her dress, and his eyes, against his will, followed the line of the soft material draped against her figure, the silk showing only the swell of her breast, and the smooth, toned torso. He knocked back the rest of his cocktail, and swallowed it in an attempt to wet his suddenly dry throat. "If you want to ask about childhoods, then maybe I'm not the best person to ask. Somebody like Benjamin might've been a better choice. Kidnap him, and ask him that all you want." 

The _look_ that he got from Laetitia nearly made him wet his pants in fright. And, also, to his dismay, he thought he glimpsed a faint twinkle of amusement in those unfathomable eyes, despite the fact that her lips never moved. "I want to hear about _your _childhood, Jhonen, not anybody else's." 

"C-could I have another drink?" he asked, looking down at his feet in shame, and embarrassment.

"Look at me." He flinched when he saw Laetitia move, but he realized that she had tipped his chin up, and he found himself looking at her. "Tell me, and I'll buy the drink for you."

"Okay." He nodded dumbfoundedly, and started talking. "My mom died when I was 4. I don't really remember her, but my father used to show me pictures. She was beautiful. And then, after my power manifested, well, I saw for myself."

Laetitia ordered another screwdriver for Jhonen, and the bartender placed it in front of Jhonen. "My father was always busy. Working, and all that. I was picked on a lot when I was a kid. Because I was skinny, and smaller than most of the others."

He found Laetitia gently pushing back the sleeve of his shirt, and caressing the smooth skin. He looked into her eyes, and nodded down at the numerous small scars crisscrossing his arms. "That's where those came from. I never had many friends." He looked at Laetitia, and smiled sadly. "Some childhood, huh? Not quite what you wanted to hear."

"How would you know that it wasn't what I wanted to hear?" She whispered softly. Jhonen was about to open his mouth to reply, when she cut him off again. "Tell me the time when you had the most fun in your life. Your most enjoyable memory."

Not for the first time that night, Jhonen found himself lacking an answer. "I… I honestly don't remember."

She seemed to ignore him, and started talking, seeming as if he wasn't there. Her eyes glazed over, and she seemed to withdraw into herself as she recalled her own distant, almost nonexistent childhood. "My happiest memory happened when I was 14. My father told me that I would be going to a cotillion, a ball, or maybe a wealthier version of these school dances that you Americans seem to be so fond of, and to hold in such importance. I was exhilarated, that I'd get to dress up, and wear nice clothes, and go someplace, _just for fun_. No work, just to spend time with people my age. It was too good to be true, but after all, my father would not betray me like that, would he?"

Her face darkened, and Jhonen found himself cringing slightly. Laetitia's mercurial moods were dangerous, and she was clearly unpredictable. Would she lash out at him, blindly, in her anger? If she did, it was likely that he wouldn't come out unscathed. 

"It came time for me to go to the cotillion, and when my father dropped me off, he showed me the photo of another girl, only a few years older than me, and told me to kill her." The hand that was holding her glass of bourbon quivered slightly, and suddenly, the glass shattered in her hand, as she crushed it, unable to contain her fury. 

Jhonen stared, once again in shock, at the mess of bourbon, ice, blood, and broken shards of glass in Laetitia's hand. How could she have done that? Laetitia looked dispassionately at the mess in her hand, seemingly oblivious to the pain. Jhonen looked desperately at Laetitia's hand, as it bled profusely, the deep red drops falling to the ground, splattering on the wood. He knew that he was taking a risk, but he leaned forward, and took her hand gently. "Come on. Let's go to the restroom, and clean this up."

He led Laetitia by the hand into the men's restroom, heedless of whether anybody was in there at the moment, and gently dusted the broken glass shards and ice cubes into the sink. He turned the tap on, and put his hand under it, checking the temperature. He then put Laetitia's hand in the lukewarm water, and washed her wounds. 

"Hold on." He told her, and took off the black shirt he wore, revealing the white shirt that he wore underneath it. He tore it into pieces, and began removing the shards of glass embedded in Laetitia's hand, and began using moistened pieces of the paper towel to clean the wounds, before tying the torn strips of black cloth to her hand, binding it. "This might hurt a little." 

But Laetitia never flinched, and stood watching his ministrations with an almost tender look in her eyes. The boy had been terrified of her, and yet, such tenderness. "Tell me why you joined the Shadow Alliance, Jhonen." Her voice was softer now, silkier.

He finished tying her bandages, and looked at her incredulously. "I thought I told you just now." They began walking out of the restroom, and headed back towards the bar. He got _the look_ from Laetitia again, and he sighed. 

Jhonen paused, trying to dig deeper, to find something to tell Laetitia. One part of him felt that there was absolutely nothing to tell her, but deep down inside, he knew better. And he knew that Laetitia would never have asked if he didn't have anything to say. He'd learned that everybody had a motive for everything they did, and surely somebody like Laetitia was not exception. 

So, he took a deep breath, and started. "I didn't want to fight anymore. Not for a race that didn't want my help. Not for people that don't deserve it. Not for people who are ungrateful, for people who wanted nothing else but to kill me. I just couldn't go on fighting with the Guardians against you guys for the humans. Not when it wasn't worth it…" His words grew softer and softer, until he just trailed off into silence.

Laetitia stopped, and turned Jhonen around, firmly, but gently. She guided him to a nearby seat, and pushed him into it, before sitting down herself. She leaned forward, until their noses were nearly touching, just like they had been only few short moments ago, and looked deep into Jhonen's dark eyes. For once, he noted, her own violet ones were not hard and unreadable, but instead, were warm, and tainted with pain, just like his own. "You're ashamed, Jhonen. You don't want to admit that you left the Guardians because you didn't want to be selfless and heroic anymore, and you're ashamed of it. This culture has taught you to be good and kind, and you can't be good and kind. Not anymore."

He found himself wanting, desperately, to look away, and yet, he couldn't; entranced as he was by Laetitia. Dangerous, unpredictable, lovely, irresistible Laetitia, who was so infallible, and so right when she had explained everything to him. She'd hit the nail right on the head, and it was frightening. 

"Jhonen, there's nothing wrong with that. Not everybody can be good, and kind, and heroic, as we've been taught to be. Let brave, foolish people like Ryan and the other Guardians do that." 

Doubt clouded his vision for a few moments, but that quickly disappeared, and his vision focused into a frighteningly sharp, objective clarity that he hadn't felt in ages. Laetitia saw his eyes light up, and knew that she had succeeded. For the first time, ever, in all her time with the Shadow Alliance, Laetitia smiled. Really, truly, smiled, in all it's genuine warmth. 

Jhonen smiled back at Laetitia, but before he could say anything, she stood up, and lightly caressed his cheek with one finger. "Let's go. We should get back before the others start wondering where we've disappeared to." 

He was stunned, once again, but already, he found himself getting used to all this. Shaking his head, he too stood up, and followed Laetitia out of the bar, back to where the others were busy dancing the night away.


	35. The BestLaid Plans

It's my 19th birthday tomorrow. I feel old... O.o

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: VFgirl: It means that if Jhonen gets paired up, I'll go with your idea ^^

WritingMoose: I'd considered a slash-pairing later on because it fitted with two of the characters, but it's unlikely it will show up since it's not important to the plot.

J.DeLuca: Oh, Erik will show up again. He has his own agenda, and he's quite determined to make sure that things work out as he wants them to. 

'...' Indicates a conversation between Jhonen and Erik

/.../ Indicates Laetitia's use of her powers

***

Chapter Thirty: The Best-Laid Plans

***

It was early morning, an hour or so before dawn, when Suzuka and Deirdre drove into the parking lot in front of the Shadow Alliance's current residence. They'd turned off the lights on the car, and done the best they could to stay out of sight.

Deirdre looked at the hotel, and then at Suzuka.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked, and cast an anxious look at the surroundings. 

Suzuka leaned back in her seat and took a deep breath to calm down her nerves.

"Yes," she replied. "I'm sure."

Deirdre nodded and kept watching their surroundings.

"You got a plan, or are you just going to improvise?" she finally asked.

Suzuka sent her a faint smile.

"They're staying on the first floor, in the opposite end of the open window," she replied and nodded at a window in the end of the building. "I'll transform into a large owl and fly up there. And once I'm inside, I'll turn into a snake. The rest should be easy," she said confidently.

"A snake? Why not a mouse or something around that size?" Deirdre asked.

Suzuka shook her head.

"Because there's a lower limit as to how small I can make myself. I *could* probably turn into a mouse, but it would hurt too much to remain in that shape for long. A snake isn't pleasant, but it's tolerable," she explained. "Besides, that way I'll have a bit of protection. Very few people wants to annoy a poisonous snake."

"Point taken," Deirdre said and smiled despite the tense atmosphere in the car.

Suzuka took another calming breath, then opened the door.

"Let's do this."

Deirdre nodded and watched as Suzuka got out of the car. 

"Oh, and 'Dre..." Suzuka added.

"Yeah?" Deirdre replied.

"If anything happens, I want you to get out of here as fast as you can. There's no reason for both of us to get captured."

"But-" Deirdre tried to object, but Suzuka cut her off.

"No buts. I want you out of here at the first sign of trouble, have I made myself clear?"

Deirdre sighed.

"Yes."

Suzuka smiled faintly, then closed the door and disappeared into the night.

***

The air was chilly, but Suzuka didn't notice as she stood beside the hotel and watched the open window. It was a fairly large window, but she would still have to watch the size of the shape she chose. 

She looked thoughtfully at the window, then finally decided on a shape. The owl she'd chosen would be slightly larger than ordinary owls, but it would be more comfortable for her - the large the difference between her human shape and her animal shape, the larger the pain that followed. She'd learned that pretty fast, and had quickly decided to stick to near-human sized animals whenever possible. 

But sometimes, like tonight, a painless new form was a luxury she could not afford. 

Suzuka closed her eyes and called up an image of a large owl. She felt her muscles stretch, and her bones bend as her body slowly, excruciating slowly, transformed into its new shape. Ten long, agonizing seconds later, a magnificent owl shook its head and flexed its wings experimentally. 

Satisfied with the result, the large animal spread out its wings completely and soared through the air. It closed in on the window, then planted its claws in the solid wood of the frame. It hesitated for a second, then flew down in the hallway, careful not to hit anything. It landed safely on the carpet and quickly took a look around to make sure it was completely alone.

Suzuka-the-owl paused, then made her decision. Ever since her powers had manifested, she'd read every book about animals that she could get her hands on. The more she knew about a particular animal, the easier it would be to turn into it, and she'd grown familiar with quite a few species.

What she needed was something dangerous, something that people wouldn't want to get too close to. A poisonous snake was the perfect choice. Suzuka created an image in her mind, and kept a firm grip on it as she slowly transformed into her new shape. The large own slowly disappear, and in its place was a five feet long tiger snake, its black scales blending into the shadows.

The snake took a moment to recover from the transformation, then slithered through the hallway, guided by scent alone. She paused momentarily in front of one of the larger rooms, having caught the familiar scent of a male. The forked tongue swiped out, tasting the air, and she recognized one of the scents as Jhonen's. She hissed angrily, then slithered further down the hallway. 

The snake paused at another door, this time recognizing Laetitia's vaguely exotic scent. She hesitated for a second, then continued. She was most likely to find useful information in Blade's room, and her tongue swiped out, searching for the scent of the male. 

She found what she searched for two rooms further down the hallway - the intermingled scent of a male and a female, both familiar to her. The snake took a careful look at the door, and looked for a possible entrance. A small set of vents beside the door caught her attention, and the forked tongue swiped out again, this time a sign of curiosity. She slithered closer and inspected the vents. The holes were small, but the metal between two of the cracks had given in, leaving a hole just big enough for her to get through. 

With the almost liquid movements characteristic to her species, she slid between the two metal plates and into the room. She paused and listened for any suspicious sounds, but only silence greeted her, along with the slow, steady breathing of two sleeping persons.

The snake took a slow look around. Part of a map could be seen sticking out from the edge of the table. Clothes were tossed on one of the chairs. Several guns and knives lay on another chair, within easy reach of the bed. In the bed itself, Blade and Jordane were asleep, Blade with his arm wrapped possessively around Jordane's waist. 

The snake hissed angrily at the two mutants, then slithered towards the maps on the table. 

***

'Jhonen! JHONEN!'

The sudden, mental shout nearly made Jhonen fall out of his bed. It took him a moment to remember where he was, and only fragments of a second later to identify the reason for his brutal awakening.

'Erik!' Jhonen growled mentally. 'What are you *doing*?!'

'Jhonen, just for once, shut the fuck up and listen to me. Suzuka is here.'

'What?!' Jhonen demanded. 'Here? But what-'

'We don't have the time for that,' Erik interrupted sharply. 'She transformed into a tiger snake and used the vents to get inside Blade and Jordane's room. If she bites them, they're as good as dead.'

'Wait! I know Suzuka, she wouldn't do something like that!' Jhonen objected.

'Well, how else would you explain why she picked the shape of one of the most poisonous snakes in the world?' Erik snapped. 

Jhonen didn't reply, and Erik continued.

'You have to trust me. She's in their room right now. It's only a matter of time before one of them gets bitten.'

Jhonen hesitated for a second, then quickly got out of bed, pausing only to put on a shirt. He hurried out of the door, down to the room Blade and Jordane shared. 

'I hope you're right,' Jhonen sent to Erik, then knocked on the door, hard and repeatedly.

"Blade! Jordane!" he shouted, and knocked hard on the door again. "Wake up!"

***

Ten years of living outside the law tended to leave their mark on a person. Amazingly quick reflexes, constant suspiciousness, bordering on paranoia, finely honed instincts, and a habit of sleeping very lightly. That was why Blade had already reached for his gun with one hand and turned on the light with the other, even before the sound of the first knock had faded away.

Jordane reacted only moments later, and driven by pure instinct she got out of the bed and grabbed her own gun.

And only then did the two mutants get the change to look at their uninvited visitor. 

"Fuck," Jordane breathed, and Blade could only agree with her. 

The snake was curled up on the carpet, less than six feet from their bed. Black, about five feet long, and angry. Very angry. Blade and Jordane exchanged a look, and came to the same conclusion.

Suzuka.

Another knock, and Blade motioned towards the door, while carefully watching the snake. Jordane nodded and unlocked the door, and Jhonen hurried into the room.

"Suzuka's here! She-" Jhonen noticed the angry snake on the floor, and his eyes widened.

"We know," Blade replied tensely and kept his gun aimed at the snake.

The reptile hissed at Jhonen and slithered a bit away. It watched the three mutants warily, then hissed again, and Jordane raised her own gun slightly.

Blade looked at the snake and quickly reached a decision. They could just kill it, but it would be a waste. It would be much more useful to them alive. 

"Jhonen! Tell Nike to get in here right how!" he snapped, never taking his eyes off the snake.

Jhonen blinked confused.

"But wh-"

"Just do it!" Blade interrupted sharply, and his voice left no room for arguments. 

Jhonen hurried out of the door, down to the room the girls were sharing. He hammered hard on the door and desperately hoped that Laetitia was a light sleeper.

"Nike! NIKE!" he shouted. "Laetitia, damnit, wake up!" 

He raised his hand to hammer on the door again, but before he could finished the motion, the door was practically torn open, and Jhonen found himself face-to-face with a very annoyed Greek mercenary. Her black hair was tousled, and her dark, violet eyes still looked a bit bleary, but even in the middle of the night she was armed with a small gun, and seemed like she was itching to use it on the poor soul who'd dared to wake her up.

Jhonen sank and his determination faltered.

"What?!" Laetitia demanded, clearly not happy with being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night.

"Trouble. Suzuka's here."

***

Outside, in the safety of the car, Deirdre watched with a feeling of growing helplessness as the lights were turned on inside the hotel, in the rooms where the Shadow Alliance were staying. It could only mean that Suzuka had been discovered and was now in trouble. 

A part of Deirdre wanted to ignore Suzuka's order and hurry inside the hotel to help her, but the other, more analytical, part of her mind stopped her. Yes, Suzuka was in trouble, but Deirdre wouldn't do much better herself. She could control light - not a very good defense against people who were notorious for their abilities with firearms. If she ran into the hotel to save Suzuka, she would get caught as well, and the situation would look even worse. 

Bravery battled with sanity, loyalty with survival instincts, until Deirdre finally surrendered to the more analytic part of her mind. She wanted to help Suzuka, and the best way to do that would be to warn the rest of the Guardians.

With a silent prayer for Suzuka's safely directed to whatever gods might hear her, Deirdre started the car and raced away from the hotel.

***

Laetitia hurried into the room followed by Jhonen, but stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the snake on the floor. A brief flicker of surprise could be seen in her eyes, only to be replaced by a cold fire as she realized just whom the scaly visitor really was.

Blade sent her a quick look.

"Knock her out!" he snapped, still with his gun aimed at the snake.

Laetitia nodded and took a step towards Suzuka. The snake hissed angrily and slithered closer, but Laetitia just smiled coldly. She was well aware of the fact that it took Suzuka at least half a dozen seconds to transform into another shape, and that it would leave her completely vulnerable. It meant that the young Guardian was pretty much stuck in her current shape, and that suited Laetitia just fine. Sure, the snake was deadly, but at least they knew where they had her.

The snake hissed again and moved closer, and Laetitia focused on the scaly animal.

/Sleep, Suzuka. Sleep.../

The snake shook its head, a decidedly human trait, and tried to fight its sudden tiredness.

/Give up, Suzuka. You can't fight me forever. Surrender...it'll be the best thing for all of us,/ Laetitia whispered tauntingly in her mind. 

The snake hissed angrily and lashed out at Laetitia, but it was already too dazed to do any harm. Laetitia easily stepped aside and watched as their scaly visitor tried to fight the tiredness, but to no avail.

/Sleep.../ Laetitia mumbled, almost inaudibly, and this time the snake stopped moving.

Several long moments passed, and then the snake slowly transformed back into Suzuka's human shape. The four mutants looked at each other and drew a relieved breath. In the door behind them, the remaining four members of the Shadow Alliance appeared, attracted by the commotion.

Pheonix noticed Suzuka and blinked.

"Twilight? What the fuck is *she* doing here!?" she asked.

Blade shook his head.

"I don't know. But I intend to find out."

***

Coming up: How's the Shadow Alliance going to react to their unwanted visitor? What's going to happen to Suzuka? And what's Ryan going to do when he finds out about the crazy stunt?


	36. Confessions

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: Phoenixdreams: Oh, she'll be angry, no doubt about that. But she won't take it out on the Shadow Alliance...at least not yet.

J.DeLuca: Clothes? *Snaps fingers* I *knew* I'd forgotten something! *he, he*

SilentPegasus: An all-out fight? Maybe...maybe not ^^

Alikat: You wouldn't believe the amount of weird in-jokes I've put in the fic. I can't help it - in-jokes are *fun*! ^^

Rascal: Aaron isn't a particular kind of snake, so he wouldn't be immune to Suzuka's bite, just like Suzuka isn't immune to Aaron's bite. 

X-Moonchik: Bargain? Why on earth would they bother to bargain with anything...? *evil grin*

***

Chapter Thirty-One: Confessions

***

In retrospect there were gentler, more tactful, ways she could have told them about Suzuka's capture. Unfortunately, it was limited how much tact Deirdre had left after driving back to the cabin with the knowledge that Suzuka's life was in the hands of a group of killers. The silence in the car had given her subconsciousness plenty of time to think up various visions of Suzuka's future, one more chilling than the other, and for each new vision, Deirdre's worry increased.

And thus, when she finally did arrive, she was near desperate to tell the others, and go back after Suzuka. Being the logical girl she was, she naturally picked the option she knew would be the fastest way to wake up the others. 

Deirdre slammed the door to Ryan and Kyle's room wide open, and hurried to Ryan's bed amidst confused looks from the two groggy males.

"'Dre? What's going on?" Ryan asked, still half-asleep.

"It's Suzuka! The Shadow Alliance has captured her!"

***

"Sit down, take a deep breath, and tell me what happened," Ryan ordered. His voice was calm although it was obvious that he was waging a war against the fear and anger he felt.

Deirdre sat down in one of the chairs and took a moment to calm down her nerves. It had taken a few hectic minutes before the Guardians had gotten out of bed and gathered in the small living room to hear what had happened. Deirdre's news had been received first with disbelief, then with shock, and finally fear, as they realized the graveness of the situation. Now, they all waited to hear what had happened to their teammate.

"Well...we decided that it would be a good idea to find out what the Shadow Alliance was planning," Deirdre began slowly. "We borrowed your car, Ryan, and drove to the hotel they're staying at. Suzuka told me that if anything happened, I should get back here as fast as I could, and then she left."

Deirdre paused, and Ryan nodded encouragingly. 

"And then she used her powers to get inside?" he guessed.

Deirdre nodded.

"Yeah. There was an open window - she said she would turn into an owl, and fly up there. Then she would turn into a snake and take a look inside the rooms." She hesitated, then continued. "I don't know how much time passed, but suddenly the light was turned on in one of the rooms, followed by several of the other rooms, and I knew that Suzuka had been caught. I - I didn't want to leave her behind, but I'd promised her that I'd go get help, so I hurried back," she finished quietly.

Ryan rubbed his temples.

"Oh, damn," he mumbled. "Damn!"

He took a deep breath to calm down, then looked at Deirdre again as he realized something.

"Where did you even get the address in the first place?" he asked.

Deirdre hesitated, torn between telling the truth, and keeping Diana's part in the plan a secret. 

"Well?" Ryan repeated, but Deirdre just looked away.

The silence between the two grew heavier with each passing second, until Diana couldn't stand the tension anymore. The truth would get out sooner or later, anyway - there was no need to make it any worse than it already was.

"I gave the address to them," she admitted, and Deirdre sent her a thankful look. 

"You *what*?!" Ryan demanded incredulously. 

"I gave them the address," Diana repeated, this time almost defiantly. She couldn't help it - the tone Ryan had used brought back quite a few ugly memories from her time at the boarding school, and she almost unconsciously brought out the bad attitude she'd used whenever she got in trouble with the teachers.

Ryan sent Diana a pointed look.

"We need to talk. Now."

Diana didn't reply, but simply got up and walked out of the room, followed closely by Ryan. An uncomfortable silence settled among the rest of the Guardians, as none of them could think of anything to say.

"Oh, boy..." Ben finally mumbled.

The others could only agree.

***

Ryan and Diana walked down the short hallway, and into one of the bedrooms. Ryan closed the door behind them, then turned around to face Diana with a look of barely controlled anger. 

"Do you have any idea of what you've done, Pandora?" he asked and took a step closer.

"Yes. I saw an opportunity, and I grabbed it," Diana replied and raised her head challenging. 

Ryan shook his head.

"No. You took a foolish risk, and now Suzuka is the one who will pay the price," he corrected. He didn't raise his voice, but there was no mistaking the hard edge of his words. 

Ryan crossed the room and stopped in front of the window, taking a moment to calm down a bit. It didn't help much, but at least it gave him the time to consider his next words.

"Why?" he finally demanded. "What on earth compelled you to do something so stupid as allowing Deirdre and Suzuka to go after the Shadow Alliance on their own?!"

"Well, you hadn't exactly recovered enough to make any logical decisions, now had you?" Diana snapped. "I just picked what seemed like the best option at the time!"

Ryan spun around.

"But it wasn't, was it?" he snapped back. "It's not safe out there, Diana, don't you understand?! Those people are dangerous!"

"I *know*!" Diana yelled. "And don't you think I regret it now!?"

And that, Ryan realized, was probably the one thing that pained him the most. He'd tried to protect Diana from the heavy burden of guilt, but he couldn't. Not anymore. Despite all he'd done to spare her from making the hard decisions, she, too, now knew the bitter taste of failure and regret, and he hated himself for it.

"Diana..." Ryan said softly, and he could see the fury leave her eyes and be replaced with a look of weariness and guilt. He knew that look intimately - it was the same look he saw whenever he faced a mirror. "I'm sorry."

Diana closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Don't be," she replied. "It was my decision." 

She opened her eyes again and took a step closer to Ryan. 

"And it should have worked," she continued. "It should have worked; I know it!"

Ryan shook his head and put his hands on Diana's shoulders to calm her down.

"I know, Diana, but we can't predict everything. Yes, the plan should have worked, but there's always something unexpected that can show up. We can't be right all the time," he explained calmly, but his words had no effect on Diana.

"Suzuka's in danger because I made a stupid mistake, don't you understand!?" Diana snapped, and Ryan tightened his grip on her shoulders.

"Diana!" he said sharply, and she finally calmed down a bit. "I know what you're going through right now, remember?"

Diana sighed and looked away.

"Yes," she admitted, and hesitated for a moment before she continued. "What did *you* do? I mean, after..."

She trailed off, and Ryan let go of her.

"You mean after berating myself, and cursing my stupidity?" he asked.

Diana smiled; a thin, pale smile, but a smile nonetheless.

"I learned from it," Ryan replied. "And I promised myself that I'd never make the same mistake again."

Diana sat down in one of the chairs, exhausted as the anger slowly left her.

"I don't want this, Ryan," she confessed. "The responsibility, the decisions...I can't do this."

Ryan didn't reply, and Diana continued without looking at him.

"I'm sixteen. I'm not...I'm too young for this kind of responsibility, okay? I don't want to walk around with the knowledge that if I make a mistake, I can get a teammate killed."

Ryan closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, they held a look of sincere regret. 

"I know," he said quietly. "But we don't have a choice. If anything happens to me, someone needs to take over and get the team to safety. Suzuka and Ben - they don't have the right temper. Deirdre is almost too young, and Kyle doesn't want to lead. The only other choice would have been Jhonen, but he..." Ryan trailed off, but the meaning was clear.

Diana curled up in the chair, looking tired and vulnerable and heartbreakingly young.

"I know, it's just...I'm tired. I'm tired of fighting, I'm tired of hiding, and I'm tired of being hunted like some animal," she confessed.

Ryan sighed and sat down in the chair next to hers. 

"I know. Believe me, I know."

For a long moment neither said anything, but merely enjoyed the rare moment of silence.

"Why do they do it?" Diana finally asked

"The Shadow Alliance?"

"The humans," she corrected.

Ryan shook his head.

"I don't know. Fear, I guess. Humans have always feared what they don't understand. Or maybe they needed a scapegoat, and we just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time."

He slowly got up. 

"I'll get the others, and then we'll figure out what to do."

Diana nodded, and Ryan walked across the room. He'd just reached the door when Diana spoke again.

"Ryan? Do you think Suzuka's alright?" she asked, and silently begged him for some hope to hang on to.

"She's alive," Ryan replied, and opened the door.

Diana sent him a weak smile.

"That wasn't what I asked you," she said.

Ryan sighed.

"I know," he replied and disappeared down the hallway.

***

Coming up: Suzuka wakes up, and she isn't too happy about the situation.


	37. 5th Interlude: Control

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: This interlude runs simultaneously with chapter 31. 

WritingMoose: Sure I'll even out the teams *sweet smile*. I'll even out the teams the day even a single other interfic writer is willing to give the bad guys personalities and an honest chance. Until then, the Guardians are on their own.

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Fifth Interlude - Control

***

The sky above Chicago slowly, ever so slowly, turned from midnight black into dark blue, then deep purple, red, and yellow as the dawn came closer.

Blade watched from one of the windows in his hotel room, absently toying with one of his knives. Watched as the clouds caught the light from the rising sun, and seemed to turn into red and purple fire. He felt oddly detached from the events of the night - the near-fatal encounter with Suzuka had only made him annoyed, not worried. Yes, he could have died, but over the years, death had become part of his life, and at some point he'd stopped caring.

Few people knew that, though. Jordane did, and Blade suspected that Laetitia did, too. Other than that, nobody knew that his calmness in potentially lethal situations wasn't an act, but came from honest indifference. Life, death...it didn't matter. Nobody could escape death, and he'd long ago stopped trying. 

Behind him the door was opened and someone stepped into the room. Soft, silent steps - Laetitia, probably. Blade didn't bother to turn around and check.

"We put Twilight in one of the small rooms, and Jordane has made sure that this floor will be cleared," the person reported, and Blade's suspicion was confirmed.

"Good," he replied. "How long will she be out?"

A faint rustle of clothes as Laetitia shrugged.

"Seven hours, I suppose. Eight, maybe."

__

Too long, Blade decided. Eight hours was the amount of sleep needed by a normal adult, and it was more than enough time for Suzuka to regain her strength. They would have to do something about that.

"Wake her up every hour, then knock her out again before she can use her powers," Blade said. "Sleep-deprivation weakens the mind. She'll be easier to break that way."

Laetitia nodded slightly.

"And what about her powers?" she asked. "We have to do something about them, otherwise she'll use them to escape the moment she wakes up." She paused, then continued. "We could drug her, if necessary. But if that doesn't work, we might be forced keep her permanently unconscious or kill her, even if she does have some useful information. I can't use my powers to force her to talk - when I knocked her out, she resisted. Ryan has taught her to shield her mind."

Blade frowned.

__

Oh, yes. Her powers. We need to do something about them before she wakes up. 

"What do *you* suggest?" he finally asked.

"It depends on how much trouble she's worth," Laetitia replied. "Yes, she has some rather useful information, but we both know that she's a stubborn thing. It might be easier just to kill her off."

"How would Jhonen react if we killed Suzuka?" Blade inquired.

Laetitia smiled faintly.

"He wouldn't accept a cold-blooded execution, but he wouldn't leave us if she died in an unfortunate accident. I had a talk with him - he's starting to see things from our point of view," she explained. 

"He'll be loyal?"

"Yes," Laetitia replied softly.

Blade raised an eyebrow

"Getting soft, Laetitia? You sound fond of him."

Laetitia raised her head challenging.

"I could ask you the same thing, Blade. You and Jordane didn't seem to mind sleeping in the same bed."

Blade sighed.

"It's different, and you know it. She's my partner."

"And he can become mine," Laetitia countered. "Give me time, and I'll make sure that he is as much under my control as Jordane is under your." 

"You sound awfully confident that you can pull it off," Blade noted.

"Why not? You managed to, didn't you?"

"Jordane was fifteen. Jhonen is only a few months from eighteen. There is a difference," Blade pointed out.

Laetitia shrugged.

"He's still a teenager - they're easily manipulated."

Blade turned around, facing Laetitia for the first time since she entered the room.

"And what about you? You *are* a teenager as well. Doesn't that make you easy to manipulate, too?" he asked. 

Laetitia's eyes grew cold.

"As you know, my childhood wasn't exactly normal," she snapped.

"No, it wasn't," Blade replied seriously. "But like it or not, Laetitia - you father, twisted as he might have been, did created a masterpiece. You're unique. A genius in your own way."

Laetitia didn't reply, unsure of what to say, and Blade turned around to watch the dawn again.

"Even if Jhonen wouldn't leave if Suzuka died, there is no reason to take any unnecessary chances," he decided. "Let's try to keep her alive and conscious for the time being."

Laetitia nodded slowly and took a moment to adapt to the sudden change of subject.

"That rules out sedatives, and putting her in a coma," she finally replied. "Normal drugs wouldn't be too good, either. Too high a risk of an overdose, and we don't know how she'd react to Ecstasy or some other designer drug."

She paused, then continued.

"The cops use a drug that can suppress mutations for a limited amount of time. I know someone who should be able to get a sample of the drug within a couple of hours. The only problem is that prolonged exposure to the drug causes permanent damage to the victim," she explained.

Blade shrugged.

"Do whatever you think will work best. I trust your judgement."

Laetitia raised one perfectly trimmed eyebrow inquiringly. 

"Does that mean that I have free hands?" she asked. 

Blade looked thoughtfully out the window. He knew what Laetitia did to people that annoyed her, and few people annoyed her more than the Guardians. To give Laetitia free hands was dangerous - morals were a concept she failed to understand, and she didn't have a conscience to stop her. She was dangerous. Dangerous, unpredictable, and armed with a morbid curiosity in regard to the workings of the human mind. There was no telling what she might do once Suzuka regained consciousness and started to yell and curse at them.

Blade smirked.

But then again...Suzuka's health wasn't his problem.

He looked at Laetitia and reached a decision.

"Yes. Do whatever you want with her, Nike, I don't care...as long as she remains alive."

***

Coming up: Suzuka wakes up, and she isn't too happy about her situation.


	38. Mindgames

Ummm...maybe I should warn you. This chapter is kinda dark. Not gory or anything, just...dark.

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: xFreakx: *Bows* Why, thank you :) If Blade can creep you out, instead of being just another plain, boring villain, then I know I've succeeded ;)

J.DeLuca: *Lights up* Leash?...Mind-gutter-OUT! O.o

Artickitty: I can't help it - I've always thought that the bad guys get too little screen time. Besides, villains are much more fun to write ^^

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Thirty-Two: Mindgames

***

Suzuka wasn't sure what woke her up. Her mind was still feeling muddy, a sure sign that she hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep. She had a vague recollection of waking up earlier, but the memory felt more like the remains of a dream than like reality. 

The real world slowly managed to fight its way through her groggy mind, and Suzuka found herself lying uncomfortable in the corner of a room, partially resting on her right arm. Judging from the faint, throbbing pain in her right shoulder, she'd been lying in that position for quite a while, and she suppressed a moan as she tried to move. 

She didn't get far, though. As she tried to move away, she realized why she'd been lying so uncomfortably in the first place - her arms were fastened behind her back, securely handcuffed to three metal pipes that ran from the floor to the ceiling of the room. 

That realization blew away the last, hazy remains of sleep, and brought back the memories of the failed mission. Suzuka felt a rush of adrenaline, followed by her frantic heartbeat as she realized her situation - she was trapped, alone and unarmed, by the Shadow Alliance.

__

I have to get away, and it has to be now. 

A look around the small room revealed that Suzuka was alone, at least for the time being. She quickly recreated the mental image of the tiger snake and concentrated on her powers in the hope that she'd be able to get free that way, but the result was nothing like she'd expected. 

Instead of feeling her muscles stretch and contract to fit her new shape, she felt only a thundering headache the moment she tried to use her powers. Suzuka gasped, both because of the pain, but also because of the sudden feeling of recognition. She knew that kind of pain - she'd felt it before, when they'd been caught by the cops and thrown in jail. It was the same pain she'd felt when they had given her power-suppressive drugs.

__

No. No!

In sheer desperation Suzuka took a step away from the pipes, and tried to pull the handcuffs free, but the metal was unyielding. The only result of her struggle was two red, slightly bloody wounds where the handcuffs had dug into the skin on her wrists, and a few, long scratches on the pipes where the paint had been scraped away by the metal.

Suzuka made one last, half-hearted attempt to get loose, then glared around the dark room. She still appeared to be alone, but she had a nasty feeling that she was being watched.

"Let me go, damnit!" Suzuka yelled angrily, but there was no reply. "You have no right to keep me here!"

"On the contrary," a female voice replied. "We have all the right in the world."

Suzuka looked towards the door to the hallway and saw Laetitia enter the room soundlessly. Laetitia paused for a moment and just watched Suzuka, then shut the door behind her.

"Hello, Suzuka. So nice to see you in your human shape again," the Greek woman said in a deceptively pleasant voice.

Suzuka glared hatefully at her.

"Get the fuck away from me!" she snapped. 

Laetitia just smirked.

"No. I don't think so, Suzuka."

"Let me go, damnit! You have NO right to keep me trapped here!" Suzuka sneered and instinctively pulled in the handcuffs again, only to gasp as the metal dug deep into the wounds on her wrists.

Laetitia sighed.

"Do try to think before you act, girl. If you keep fighting to get loose, you will only cause yourself more pain. The first thing to break won't be the handcuffs or the pipes. It will be your wrists."

Suzuka didn't reply, but she did stop her desperate struggle. It was obvious that Laetitia was right, and hurting herself would accomplish nothing. 

"Good girl," Laetitia said. Suzuka just glared at her.

"And we have every right to keep you here," Laetitia continued. "We didn't do anything - *you* were the one who broke into this hotel, and *you* were the one who tried to kill Blade and Melee. I think that pretty much justifies keeping you here." 

"I was NOT trying to kill them!" Suzuka snapped. "If I were, they wouldn't be alive right now!"

Laetitia sighed.

"You're a terrible liar. If you weren't trying to kill them, then why did you pick the shape of one of the most poisonous snakes in the world?"

It was an argument that could not be won. Suzuka knew it, and remained silent.

"It was Jhonen who discovered you, you know," Laetitia continued casually. "Ironic, isn't it? Your mission was foiled by your former teammate."

"Jhonen?" Suzuka repeated. "That traitor!"

Laetitia smirked.

"He's actually rather cute...in an innocent way. And he's absolutely fascinated by me. I think I'll keep him around...and see how long it will take me to get rid of that innocence."

Suzuka shook her head.

"You're sick," she said disgusted.

Laetitia didn't reply. She just tilted her head slightly and watched Suzuka with a look of intense curiosity, bordering on fascination. 

"So sayeth the person who nearly eviscerated an innocent teenager?" she finally asked amused.

Suzuka's head snapped up, and the shock was evident on her face.

"Yes, I know about that. It was in every newspaper in the country," Laetitia continued in the silky, almost purring, voice she used when she wanted to unsettle people. "One and a half year ago, during a martial arts tournament."

Suzuka glared at Laetitia, but didn't reply. 

"And it wasn't just a teenager - it was a girl. A fifteen-year-old girl. You deliberately transformed into a grizzly bear, and used your claws on her," Laetitia continued in the soft voice.

"It was an accident!" Suzuka denied angrily. "I didn't even know what I was doing!"

"An accident?" Laetitia repeated with just the faintest hint of amusement in her voice. "Please, don't sell yourself short, Suzuka. It was an excellent idea...you only need to work a bit on your planning. Your escapes leave a lot to be desired."

"I told you - it was an accident!" Suzuka repeated, this time louder and angrier. 

Laetitia smirked and slowly walked closer to Suzuka.

"It wasn't an accident - we both know that. You cut her across the abdomen...pierced her stomach...and broke five of her ribs. The only reason why she's still alive was because of the medical team's expertise. Don't tell me that injuries as lethal as those were a mere accident."

By the time she'd finished talking, Laetitia was only a few steps from Suzuka. She paused and watched the Asian girl with a vaguely amused look.

"What did she do to deserve that? Was she about to defeat you? Couldn't you stand the thought of losing?" Laetitia inquired. 

Suzuka didn't reply, and Laetitia took another step forward, then leaned closer until her lips were only inches away from Suzuka's ears. 

"Tell me," Laetitia whispered tauntingly, and her faint, Greek accent created an almost perverse sense of intimacy. "Did you enjoy it? The blood...the rush of adrenaline?"

Suzuka tried to get away from Laetitia, but the handcuffs made it impossible. Instead she turned her head away from the Greek woman, half in fear, half in disgust.

"Get the fuck away from me, you freak!" she snapped

Laetitia smirked and drew away, deliberately letting one of her fingers run down Suzuka's arm as she did. Suzuka suppressed a shiver, but didn't move; unwilling to give Laetitia the satisfaction of seeing her afraid. 

Laetitia watched the young girl for a moment.

"Know this, Suzuka," she finally said. "Real life is not a movie. You're not invulnerable because you're one of the good guys. Your life is not indispensable. The moment your usefulness ends, you will die."

"What?" Suzuka sneered sarcastically. "You're not gonna offer me a place on the team?"

Laetitia raised an eyebrow.

"Why should we? You wouldn't follow us, anyway. We have no use for someone who must be kept in line by constant threats. The fact that we're criminals doesn't automatically mean that we're stupid," she replied.

Suzuka just glared at her, and Laetitia sighed softly.

"If it's any comfort, Suzuka, we won't leave you to a long and painful death," she said, almost gently. "I won't lie to you. We *will* kill you - we don't leave loose ends. But it will be quick and painless. A single bullet through the head. You'll never feel a thing."

For a seemingly endless moment the two opponents just looked at each other. Then, before Suzuka had the chance to reply, Laetitia left the room as silently as she had arrived.

It took a moment for the words to settle, then another before Suzuka had recovered from the shock. 

"No..." she denied and shook her head. "NO!"

She pulled in the handcuffs again, this time ignoring the pain as the metal cut deeper into the bleeding wounds. She wasn't sure how long she fought to get loose - maybe minutes, maybe seconds - but finally she sank to the floor and curled up in the corner, exhausted, both mentally and physically.

She wanted to cry, but didn't want to show her enemies that they'd gotten to her. Instead she retreated into her mind and tried to imagine herself in another place, far away from psychotic assassins and treacherous teammates. 

__

Suzuka... someone whispered gently, so gently that Suzuka almost believed that it had been nothing more than her imagination.

Suzuka, the voice repeated and in the innermost corners of her mind, Suzuka felt Ryan's familiar presence. She smiled - faintly, weakly, but it was a smile. And maybe - just maybe - there was hope after all.

***

When Laetitia left the room, she found Aaron, Hal, and Pheonix waiting outside. Aaron opened his mouth to say something, but Laetitia held up a hand, and he fell silent. 

"Not here," she said simply and led them down the hallway, out of Suzuka's hearing range.

"Why are we staying here?" Aaron hissed as they stopped. "The Guardians know where we are - it's only a matter of time before they try some crazy stunt to free Twilight." 

Laetitia leaned against the wall.

"Because it wouldn't help if we left. Cretes can feel Suzuka's presence, so it wouldn't help if we moved her to another hotel. And as you should know by now - it's always better to face an attack in familiar surroundings. It gives you quite an advantage." 

Hal shook her head.

"I don't think they'd risk a direct attack," she objected. "Cretes knows that Suzuka's life is in our hands. He wouldn't endanger her life that way."

"I don't know," Pheonix said and frowned. "I didn't think he'd have the guts to try and kill any of us, and then he sends Twilight after us - in the shape of a fucking snake, no less. He's not acting like himself."

"If you'd paid a bit more attention to the world around you, you wouldn't have been surprised by that," Laetitia pointed out, and Pheonix looked away, a bit ashamed of the criticism. Laetitia send her a faint, comforting smile, then continued. "None of us know where Ryan's breaking point is, and Blade *has* spent the last week trying to push him over the edge. Sooner or later, Cretes will snap. It's only a matter of time."

Hal frowned.

"I don't like the thought of an insane, alpha-level telepath running around out there," she commented. 

Laetitia looked at her.

"We know what we're doing, Hal. Trust us," she replied seriously, deliberately using 'we' instead of 'he' to let her three teammates know that she would back up Blade's decision all the way. If worried enough, the others might have tried to argue with Blade and Jordane, but if Laetitia added her support, it would take care of any potential arguments. Nobody was stupid enough to go against all three of them. 

Hal finally nodded.

"All right," she said. "Whatever you want."

Laetitia just smiled.

"Excellent. Let's go find the others, shall we?"

She headed down the hallway, but Pheonix hesitated.

"Shouldn't we leave someone behind to keep an eye on Suzuka?" she asked.

Laetitia smirked.

"No. Let's give her plenty of time to consider her situation. I'm sure she'll appreciate that."

Pheonix sent the closed door a doubtful look, then shrugged and followed her teammates.

***

Coming up: Ryan talks with Suzuka, and the Guardians discuss their future course of action.


	39. Dilemmas

Sorry about the lateness of the chapter - too much homework, and too little time to do it in. Luckily I'm almost done with that, which leaves only the finals to study for. 

A/N 1: As most of you have probably noticed, the fic has taken a turn to the darker, as I threatened it would. If a chapter is particularly dark, I will of course post a warning first. If any of you feel that the fic is too dark, and want your characters out of the story line, then now is the time to tell me. Not in three chapters, not when your character gets hurt, and not when the first character dies. If you want out, it's now. 

To the rest of you: from what I can see, we're a bit more than halfway through the fic (maybe two-thirds if the unthinkable happens and I grow tired of the characters, or get a serious writer's block *knocks under computer*). As you have probably guessed, it's the darkest - and potentially most interesting - half that lies ahead. So if you're willing to leave you characters in my hands, then sit down, lean back, and I'll do whatever it takes to make this a ride you won't forget.

A/N 2: Rascal: *g* None taken. The better you know the characters, the easier they are to write about, and the better the writing gets. It's actually rather simple ^^. That's also why the story is becoming a bit darker - because by now I feel comfortable enough with the characters to write them like that. If I had the time, I would go back and edit/rewrite a good part of the first chapters. Unfortunately, there's a global conspiracy going on to keep me from my computer :P. And nobody is influencing Laetitia...at least not anymore. This was how she was raised and trained - usually, she just keeps her more twisted side hidden *g*. And Jhonen is innocent, in every sense of the word. Take that any way you want ^^

Maxwell Dark: Well, the definitions of the various levels depend on whom you ask, but most agree with the following power-classification:

****

Omega: The strongest (and rarest) mutant class. Depending on their particular powers, they can level entire cities and cause permanent changes in the Earth's weather systems or magnetic field.

****

Alpha: Second strongest. A lot of the X-Men would probably fit into this category. Alphas are basically your typical super-hero/villain.

****

Beta: Not nearly as powerful as alphas. They have superhuman powers, but generally not enough to be a stand-alone hero or villain, so to speak.

****

Gamma: Semi-dangerous. More powerful than an average human, but nowhere near beta or alpha level.

****

Delta: They're mutants, but either they're not very powerful, or the X-gene is dormant. 

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Thirty-Three: Dilemmas

***

At first it was a faint presence - barely more than a pale ghost in his mind - but as he focused on it, it grew stronger, more vibrant, more hopeful.

Ryan drew a relieved breath and smiled for the first time since Deirdre had returned from the failed attempt to spy on the Shadow Alliance. 

Suzuka was alive. Worried, angry, and afraid, but she was alive. 

__

Suzuka...he whispered, and he felt Suzuka perk up.

__

Suzuka, he repeated, and Suzuka's anger turned to relief as she felt his presence in her mind.

__

Ryan! 

Her reply was more of a thought to herself than a message aimed at him, and he frowned. Something was wrong - usually, she would focus her thoughts on him, to make it easier to communicate.

__

Are you okay? What happened? he asked and couldn't completely hide his worry.

Suzuka sighed mentally.

__

I'm...as fine as you could expect, considering the fact that I'm being held hostage by a bunch of homicidal freaks.

Ryan smiled faintly. Suzuka-humor at its...well, not best, but close. It comforted him a bit - it meant that whatever had happened to Suzuka, it hadn't broken her yet.

__

Ryan...Suzuka continued. _They drugged me. I don't know how they got it, but they've given me the same kind of drugs that the cops gave us in jail._

And suddenly everything made sense to Ryan - power-suppressive drugs. That was why she 'thought' to herself, instead of to him, so to speak. Any attempts to 'talk' directly to him would knock her out, like it had happened to Kyle.

__

Suzuka, are you okay? And I want the truth.

Suzuka sighed.

__

My head hurts. I have some bruises on my wrists, and I think I've hurt my right shoulder, too, she replied.

__

Bruises? What did they do to you? Ryan demanded and fought back his anger. If any of them had hurt her...

__

Nothing...yet. They handcuffed me to a couple of pipes in one of the rooms. I tried to get loose, but...

She trailed off, but the meaning was not lost on Ryan. Once, when he was young and foolish, he'd felt the kind of damage caused by trying to get out of a pair of handcuff. He knew that it hurt, and that the result was never pretty.

__

Listen to me, Suzuka - don't try to force the restrains open. You have to pick the locks instead.

__

I know. I'll try to find something to open them with, but I don't think I'll have much luck. They moved everything out of my reach, even the chairs, Suzuka replied with a sigh.

__

Keep looking, okay?

Ryan paused, then continued hesitantly. 

__

Have they said anything to you? Anything at all? 

__

More than I wanted to know, was the bitter reply, and Suzuka let down her mental shields to let Ryan take a look at her memories of the conversation with Nike.

Ryan quickly scanned the memories, then stopped as he heard Nike mention Jhonen.

__

Jhonen? *Jhonen* was the one who discovered you?

__

Yes. It didn't take long for that traitor to become their little pet, Suzuka replied angrily.

__

The spirits must have warned him. This could become a problem, Ryan noted with concern, more to himself than Suzuka. He shook his head, then quickly scanned the rest of the conversation.

__

"...We *will* kill you - we don't leave loose ends."

Laetitia's soft words sent a shiver down Ryan spine. Somewhere deep down he'd known that the Shadow Alliance would kill Suzuka the moment her usefulness ended, but he had desperately hoped that he was wrong. To hear the words spoken by Nike...

__

She's...she's serious, Ryan, Suzuka finally said in a quiet voice. _That woman...she's not sane. She's--she's sick and twisted and..._

__

Suzuka! 

Ryan's sharp thought interrupted Suzuka, and she fell silent.

__

It won't happen, Suzuka, I promise. I know them, and I know that you're worth more to them alive than dead. Nike is only trying to break you. Blade will not allow her to harm you as long as you can be used against me, Ryan explained with as much confidence as he could muster.

Ryan felt Suzuka's fear diminish, and he continued.

__

We'll do whatever it takes to get you out of there, Suzuka. Don't forget that.

__

I know, Suzuka replied, and Ryan smiled as a wave of trust followed her words.

__

I'll be in touch later.

Suzuka nodded mentally, and Ryan broke the connection and opened his eyes. He could feel a headache coming, but it didn't matter, not when compared to the sudden hope he felt. Suzuka was alive. She was alive, and he would do his damned best to make sure it would remain that way.

__

Whatever it takes, he repeated softly._ Whatever it takes._

***

In the main room, Prue, West, and Ben had gathered, waiting impatiently to hear what Ryan had found. The others were nowhere in sight - they were probably in some of the other rooms or outside, since most of them were too worried to be social. West, naturally, was more than a bit confused by the whole thing, and Prue, being a newcomer herself, hadn't been able to explain things that well to him.

"Who are they? I mean, you guys have been talking about them all morning, but everybody's been too busy to explain it to me," West complained.

Prue sent him an apologetic smile.

"I think Ben can explain that part better than I can. He's been on the team for longer."

West looked at Ben, who sighed and joined the other two in the sofa.

"The Shadow Alliance is a group of criminal. They're mutants, and all of them are more or less against humans. Their boss wants Ryan dead, and from what I can see, that feeling is pretty mutual." 

"Mutants?" West repeated. "Then why would they hurt another mutant? It doesn't make sense." 

"There are not a whole lot of things that make sense where the Shadow Alliance is concerned," Ben replied. "They...services...are for sale to the highest bidder. They don't feel loyal to mutants in general...only to each other."

He grimaced. 

"So now you know what you're getting into - a personal vendetta against a group of mercenaries."

"Damn," West breathed, half in worry, half in amazement.

"Yeah...'damn' covers it pretty nicely," someone said, and the trio looked up and found Ryan standing in front of them.

"Ryan...?" Ben asked, but Ryan just shook his head.

"Find the others. We have a serious problem."

Ben wanted to ask what Ryan had found out, but knew that he would find out soon enough. He nodded, then got out of the sofa and headed out of the room to find the others. 

***

"We have to act fast," Ryan explained once the team was gathered around the table. "Suzuka got inside the hotel in the shape of a poisonous snake, and the Shadow Alliance believes that she was there to kill Blade and Melee."

"What?!" Diana demanded. "But Suzuka would never use her powers to kill someone!"

"Obviously, they believe otherwise," Ryan replied and sighed. "They have given her power-suppressive drugs and are keeping her chained to a set of pipes in one of the rooms on the first floor. She's not being guarded, but the pipes and the handcuffs are strong enough to keep her trapped." He paused briefly before continuing. "And there's more. Nike told Suzuka that they're not holding her for ransom - they intend to kill her."

"They'll kill her?!" Deirdre repeated. "We have to do something!"

"But what? We can't risk a direct attack," Kyle objected. "It would be too dangerous, especially for Suzuka."

"A mind-bolt might be an option, but I'd have to be almost in the same room as them to use it, and it's unlikely that I'd be able to knock out all of them at once," Ryan said.

"And we don't want to endanger the lives of any of the other guests at the hotel," Diana added.

"Umm...do we even know how many people are staying on that floor?" Prue asked hesitantly.

Ryan frowned.

"There weren't that many when I was there, but it might have changed, though."

West bit his lower lip, silently debating whether or not to join the discussion. He didn't know much about the people they were talking about, but sometimes a fresh pair of eyes helped.

"If they're holding her hostage, wouldn't it be most logical for them to make sure that there are as few people as possible on that floor?" he finally asked. "I mean, that way there would be less people to ask potentially dangerous questions."

Ryan nodded slowly.

"Point taken. When we get closer to the building, I should be able to sense how many people are on that floor...but that still leaves us with another problem: if we attempt a direct attack, they'd most likely kill Suzuka before we got anywhere near her."

"Is there any chance she might be able to get free on her own?" Kyle asked. "She knows how to pick a lock, doesn't she?"

Ryan shook his head.

"They cleared the area she's in. I told her to keep looking, but..." he sighed. "They're not stupid."

"What if we attacked from two places at once?" Deirdre suggested. "Can't we-I mean, what if we attacked them as a distraction? Then Kyle could sneak into Suzuka's room and free her. He could always freeze them if they tried to hurt her."

Ryan and Kyle exchanged a slightly doubtful look.

"It would only work against one or two of them - you know what they did last time Suzuka and I faced them," Kyle finally said.

"What about as a backup plan, then?" Diana asked. "If she doesn't find something to open the locks with, it might be our only option."

Ben, who had so far remained silent, nodded slowly.

"I must admit that I agree with Diana and 'Dre. It might not be the best option, but it's all we've got for the moment. We'll give her a chance to find a way out of her restrains, and if that doesn't work, we'll have to go with 'Dre's idea."

Ryan sighed 

"Alright...alright. It's not like we have much of a choice. We'll give it a day - that way Suzuka might be able to get the locks opened, and we'll get the chance to come up with a better plan."

"We can't afford to wait that long!" Diana objected. "You just said they planned to kill her."

"I know how they think," Ryan said with quiet confidence. "And I know Blade won't kill her as long as she's still useful to his team. They wouldn't have bothered with power-suppressive drugs if they had planned to kill her this soon."

Diana closed her eyes briefly.

"I hope you're right," she whispered.

__

So do I, Ryan wanted to add, but he remained silent.

***

Coming up: Jhonen faces Suzuka for the first time since he left the Guardians, and Suzuka learns that there are more dangerous things than Laetitia out there.


	40. Confrontations

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Thirty-Four: Confrontations

***

"We have to make sure that someone's awake at all times, in case Cretes tries anything," Jordane said. 

Blade, Laetitia, and her had gathered in one of the rooms to decide their future course of action, and what to do with their unwilling guest. They had quickly realized that it would be easier to discuss it if they weren't in the same room as the others, and especially Jhonen. There were still some things that the boy wasn't ready to accept.

"We can take the first shift," Blade said. "Us, Hal, and Aaron. Laetitia, you can the second shift with Jhonen, Pheonix, and Zach. We'll wake you up around four a.m."

Laetitia nodded.

"I agree," she said. "I found some more information on the drug we're giving Suzuka," she continued. "Each dose lasts about twelve hours, but we already knew that. The first damage to the body occurs after about three days. At first it will be temporary and will disappear when the subject stops taking the drugs. After five to seven days that damage will become permanent. More than two weeks of exposure to the drug usually results in death."

"And how much of that drug do we have?" Jordane asked.

"Enough to last about a week," Laetitia replied. "I can probably get more, but I doubt it will be necessary."

"It won't," Blade replied, and the meaning wasn't lost on the others.

__

In a week she'll be dead anyway. 

The sound of footsteps caught the trio's attention, and they looked up from the papers and maps on the table. Jhonen appeared in the doorway and stopped, looking nervously at the carpet, obviously reluctant to enter the room uninvited.

"Yes?" Blade asked, and Jhonen finally looked up.

"I-I wanted to ask if I could talk to Suzuka," he stammered. "She's-she's not acting like herself, and I wanted to know if..." he trailed off, unable to put his feelings into words.

"You do know that she's quite angry with you, don't you?" Laetitia remarked, and Jhonen looked downright uncomfortable.

"Yeah," he admitted and looked away. "I know."

Blade frowned. He had expected that Jhonen would want to talk to his former teammate, but he wasn't entirely sure if he liked the idea. Yes, Laetitia believed that Jhonen would remain loyal, but there was always the risk that Suzuka would be able to talk Jhonen into helping her.

It was a double-edged sword - a confrontation with Suzuka could seal Jhonen's loyalty to the Shadow Alliance for good, or it could turn him against them. But with the way Suzuka had acted towards Laetitia...

Blade finally nodded.

"Alright. Go ahead."

He tossed the key to Jhonen, who caught it with a slightly surprised look on his face. He looked at the key, then at Laetitia who sent him an encouraging look.

"Thanks," Jhonen replied quietly and disappeared down the hallway.

Blade waited until he couldn't hear Jhonen's footsteps anymore, then looked at Laetitia.

"Afterwards, have a talk with him. Let's make sure he won't get a sudden case of misplaced loyalty."

Laetitia nodded slightly, and the subject was dropped.

***

It was the sound of a door being unlocked that tore Suzuka out of her half-unconscious state. She scrambled to her feet, unwilling to let any of her captors see her weak. The person who walked through the door wasn't Laetitia, though, but instead some younger, smaller, but no less hated by Suzuka. He walked into the room and stopped about six feet from Suzuka.

For a long moment the two former teammates just looked at each other, neither knowing how to react.

"I'm-" Jhonen finally began, but Suzuka interrupted him before he could get any further.

"Get out!" Suzuka replied with barely controlled rage. "Get away from me!"

"Suzuka, I-I just wanted to tell you that-" Jhonen began again, unsuccessfully.

"Get the Hell out of here, you TRAITOR!" Suzuka screamed and tried to get loose, but to no avail. 

"Suzuka, please-you have to understand...I-I couldn't keep fighting for the humans anymore, not after all they've done to us," Jhonen stammered and took a small step back.

"Go to hell!" she snapped and yanked at her handcuffs again, and this time a small drop of blood ran down the back of her hand. Jhonen looked concerned at the marks from the restrains and moved closer.

"Please, stop fighting, Suzuka," he pleaded. "You'll only hurt yourself."

"Why would you care?!" she sneered. "Besides, they're gonna kill me anyway, so what difference does a few more marks make?"

Jhonen's concern turned to impatience, and then anger. He was trying to help her, couldn't she see? And her accusation of the Shadow Alliance - it was one thing to call him a traitor, but to claim that the Shadow Alliance - that *Laetitia* - would execute a mutant in cold blood...

"Who said anything about killing?!" he snapped. "What do you know about them, anyway?! Nothing! Not a fucking thing!"

"*I* know nothing about them?!" Suzuka repeated. "Your psycho girlfriend told me flat-out that she would put a bullet through my brain!"

Jhonen took a step back.

"I'm not gonna listen to this!" he said angrily. "I'm not gonna listen to you talking about something you know nothing about! I was just trying to help you!"

"And what a help you are, you traitor!"

"Traitor? I'm just trying to stay alive! The humans - they want us dead, don't you see?" Jhonen asked incredulously.

"The only thing I see is a cowardly teenage boy who's trying to justify the fact that he betrayed the people who trusted him!"

Jhonen didn't reply. He just looked away, ashamed of himself, and Suzuka continued.

"*We* were the ones who helped you when you needed it most. *We* took you in from the streets. *We* gave you a home. *We* did - not the Shadow Alliance. And now you're going to turn your back on us just because you got a better offer. What a friend you turned out to be," she said scornfully. "We should have left you on the streets!"

Jhonen's shame turned to anger. He wanted to yell at her, to tell her that things were nothing like that, but he forced himself to remain calm.

"I'm gonna leave now - I don't want to listen to this," he said, and he was surprised at how much the sudden coldness in his voice reminded him of Laetitia.

"I think that's a good idea," someone said, and the two former teammates looked up. 

Blade stood next to the door, casually leaning against the wall. Both teenagers had been too absorbed in the argument to hear his arrival, and Jhonen had to wonder how much the man had heard. It didn't matter, though, Jhonen decided and shook his head. He was done with Suzuka, done with the Guardians...and he was done keeping their secrets. If they saw him as a traitor, he might as well go all the way.

"Goodbye, Suzuka," he said softly and walked across the room, never looking back.

"JHONEN!" Suzuka shouted angrily, but he ignored her.

"I'm sorry you had to listen to that," Blade said quietly as Jhonen reached the door, and his voice held a note of sincere regret.

Jhonen shook his head.

"I just-I just hoped she would understand, but..." he trailed off.

"...But she's not the type who forgives easily," Blade finished, and Jhonen nodded. 

"Yeah."

Blade sent Suzuka a brief look, then focused on Jhonen again.

"Laetitia wants to talk with you," he said and motioned towards one of the rooms down the hallway.

Jhonen nodded, and walked out of the room, doing his best to ignore the pain and anger from the heated argument. Blade waited for a moment until Jhonen was out of sight and then closed the door. Suzuka tried to get out of the handcuffs once again, but failed and settled for an angry glare at her captor instead. 

"I see the drug hasn't affected your health...or your temper," Blade remarked. 

"I didn't think you cared about anyone but yourself," Suzuka replied acidly, but to her dismay the only reaction from Blade was a faint, sardonic smile.

"Such harsh words from Cretes' pet shapeshifter."

"I'm nobody's pet!" Suzuka snapped, and realized too late that it was exactly the reaction Blade had hoped for. He was analyzing her, looking for a weakness, just like she was looking for something - anything - to use against him.

"Really? Then this whole attempt to kill Jordane and me was your own idea?" he asked, with just the hint of a smirk on his face.

"I wasn't trying to kill you, damnit!"

"And yet you sneaked in here in the shape of a poisonous snake. Care to explain that?"

"Go to Hell!" Suzuka spat. 

"Well, you certainly did your best to send me there," Blade remarked. "You might even have succeeded if it hadn't been for Jhonen."

"That traitor," Suzuka muttered angrily.

Blade smirked.

"He belongs to us now, Suzuka. His loyalty, his powers...you can't change that."

"Who says we want him, anyway?" Suzuka snapped.

"You're not a very good liar, Suzuka," Blade observed. "Too open, too...emotional. A shame, really. With your abilities you could have become powerful."

"I don't care about power!"

"Everybody cares about power. It's only a matter of admitting it or not," Blade corrected. 

Suzuka didn't reply, and Blade continued.

"Let's drop the games. I want some inside information about the Guardians, and you can give it to me."

"Not a chance!" Suzuka replied, almost challenging. 

Blade sighed.

"Drop the heroic facade, Suzuka. Let's make this easy for the both of us: tell me what you know about the Guardians - their strengths, their weaknesses, everything - and in return I'll make sure that nobody will bother you."

"But you're still gonna kill me," Suzuka added disgustedly. 

"Yes," Blade admitted. "The difference being that if you cooperate, I won't feel tempted to let Laetitia play with you first."

"How benevolent," Suzuka sneered.

"Considering what Laetitia does to people she don't like...yes, it is," Blade said. "Well?" he asked, and sent the girl a pointed look.

Suzuka just glared at him, the hate obvious in her gray eyes.

"You think I'm gonna betray my teammates? Go to Hell!"

Blade sighed at her stubbornness. He'd expected that kind of reaction from Suzuka, but it never seized to amaze him how small a sense of self-preservation some people had.

"I strongly advise you to think about your situation before you make a decision," he said, and unnoticed by Suzuka, his right hand moved slightly to rest on the handle of one of his knives.

"I *have* thought about it!" Suzuka replied spitefully. "Go. To. Hell!"

The movement of Blade's hand was so sudden and so fast that Suzuka didn't have the time to react before she felt the cold steel of a knife against her cheek, and then a sharp pain as the metal cut through her skin, leaving a long, thin wound behind.

Suzuka gasped, not because of the pain, but because of the unexpectedness of the action. She had never believed that Blade would do something like that - threaten her, yes, but physically hurt her...? 

A drop of warm, ruby red blood ran down her cheek and fell to the floor, staining the light gray carpet. Seconds later another followed, slowly creating a dark red, almost black, mark on the floor.

Blade shook his head and caressed Suzuka's other cheek with the dull side of the knife.

"Poor, little Suzuka," he mumbled, almost gently. "So brave, and yet so foolish."

Blade put his hand under her chin and forced her to look him in the eyes.

"Now be a good girl and tell me what I want to know," he said in a deceptively quiet voice.

It wasn't natural to be so calm and collected when you faced your would-be killer, Suzuka knew that much. It meant that Blade was planning something, and she was willing to bet money that whatever it was, it would be bad news for her. She suppressed her fear, and stared back at him without blinking.

"Fuck you," she sneered. 

A flicker of anger in Blade's cold eyes was the only warning Suzuka got before he backhanded her violently. Suzuka drew a sharp breath at the sudden pain, and felt the metallic taste of blood in her mouth.

Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Blade move, then felt a sharp pain between her shoulders. She gasped, and the sudden pain made her legs buckle, and she landed hard on her knees. Blade gave her a moment to recover her breath, then reached down and took a solid grip around her arms.

Suzuka winced as she felt his fingers dig painfully into her skin, and she realized that he was stronger than most of them gave him credit for. With an almost frightening ease he pulled her to her feet and let go, and Suzuka just barely had the time to find her balance.

"Tell me, Suzuka...are you afraid?" Blade asked and watched Suzuka carefully.

"No, I'm not!" the girl replied defiantly.

Blade just smirked and reached out to touch her throat. Suzuka flinched slightly and braced herself for another attack, but none came. Instead, Blade just rested his hand on her throat, feeling the fast rhythm of her pulse against his palm. 

"Fast breathing...your pulse is racing..." Blade trailed off, and in an instant, the soft pressure on Suzuka's throat had turned into an iron grip. 

"You're lying, girl. Don't *ever* do that," he sneered and strengthened his grip. 

Suzuka gasped and desperately tried to breathe, but Blade had cut off her air-supply with chilling efficiency. She tried to kick him, but because of the sudden lack of oxygen, she didn't have the strength to do any serious harm. Blade held on to her for a moment longer to make his point, then let go. Suzuka collapsed on the floor, coughing and gasping for air. 

"You're sick..." she whispered as she was finally able to use her voice again.

"No. I just do what has to be done," Blade replied. "The Guardians are in my way, and I intend to do something about that."

He crouched next to Suzuka and caressed her cheek, and the girl suppressed a shudder. Blade just smirked, obviously amused by her reaction. 

"You'll talk, Suzuka. Never doubt that."

With deliberately casual movements he stood up and walked out of the room like nothing had happened. The door closed behind him, and seconds later Suzuka heard the distinctive sound of a key in a lock.

Another drop of blood rolled down her cheek, slower this time as the wound had almost stopped bleeding. Suzuka didn't notice that, though. She just looked at the bloody carpet in stunned silence, and for the first time since her capture, she truly feared for her life.

***

Coming up: VivaGlam's second vignette, as dark and gorgeous as the first ^^


	41. Vignette: Unconscious Consciousness

Unconscious Consciousness 

By VivaGlam

A Vignette

A/N: Sorciere, luv, this one's for you, from me 'n Ewan. ;) Enjoy!!

Warning: Graphic violence. Don't say we didn't warn you.

$@$@$@$@$@$@$@$@$@$@$@

Suzuka groaned softly, coming to consciousness slowly, before her eyes opened. Her consciousness stayed, floating, on what she sluggishly assumed was the point right before a person opens their eyes when they wake up. A soft, warm, comforting darkness enveloped her, and she snuggled into it, pulling it like a warm blanket around herself. However, it was only when she did try to move that all sense of peace and security vanished, as a sharp pain shot up her arms, causing her eyes to fly open, and Suzuka herself let out a small yelp of pain. 

She took a moment to orient herself, gazing in confusion around at the room she was currently in. How did she get here? And why did her hands- "OW!!" She cried, again, as she inadvertently yanked her hands once more. Turning around, she saw that the source of her aggravation was a glaring line of red on both her wrists, from chafing at the pair of tight metal handcuffs that were holding them securely in place, chaining her to a pipe, thus constricting her freedom of movement. 

__

What the hell? 

Just as suddenly as the pain had come, startling her awake, the images and memories rushed back in a torrent, flooding her mind, and clouding her vision with red, as she slowly grew angrier and angrier at what had happened. 

Captured. She was a captive of the Shadow Alliance. And the traitor, Jhonen. Unable to restrain herself, Suzuka swallowed as much air into her lungs as she could, and let it all out in a scream of fury. "Jhonen, you traitor, I'm going to KILL you for what you did!!" She twisted and turned, furious, doing her best to break free of her bonds.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the single door leading into the room, unbeknownst to Suzuka, stood a wavering Jhonen, and a silent Laetitia. She looked at him, seeing the strain of having his former teammate hurl death threats at him, and decided to warn him. "Whatever you do, don't go in there. Especially not by yourself. The mutation-suppressing drug is about to wear off anytime soon, and it's going to be especially dangerous, with Suzuka in a blood rage like that. You're unarmed, and not equipped to handle a berserk Suzuka. If anything happens, alert the rest of us, and don't do anything else, do you hear me?" 

Jhonen paused. He had intended to go in and talk to Suzuka once Laetitia left, orders be damned. But now, he wasn't sure. Suzuka was furious, and was after him. He'd seen her in action before and it was frightening. But he had to talk to her, had to explain what had happened. "Yeah, ok." He nodded, without looking at Laetitia. He watched Laetitia scrutinize him intently, for a few moments, out of the corner of his eyes, but then, she seemed to think that everything was alright, and nodded, placing a hand on his shoulder in a surprisingly commonplace, yet intimate gesture, before leaving.

Once he was sure that Laetitia was gone, he took out the keys and started to open the door. He had to talk to Suzuka. She wouldn't hurt him. He was sure of it.

Inside the room, a dehydrated and exhausted Suzuka hung her head in defeat. How long would she be stuck, in this hellhole, like this? And when would the mutation-suppressing drug that the Shadow Alliance had given her wear off? She wanted to get out of here, NOW. Just then, she heard the door click open, and she looked up, fearful, the adrenaline pumping through her system pulling her from a sleepy drug-induced stupor to full alertness in a split second. To her shock, it was not the menacing figure of Laetitia, the devil incarnate, but instead, the one person she had least expected to see.

"S-Suzuka?" Jhonen stammered out, softly.

"Jhonen." Suzuka spat out, the rage boiling through her again, consuming her, mingling with the rush of adrenaline to give her a sudden rush of strength.

"Suzuka, I-I just wanted to say that I didn't want to betray you. But you were going to kill Blade and Jordane, and…" He slowly walked across the room, making slow step after step, getting closer to Suzuka each time.

"Shut up." Suzuka hissed, furious.

"Suzuka, you have to understand, I didn't want to go on fighting for humans anymore, I-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!!!" The roar just burst out of her, and stunned Jhonen into a shocked silence. Unwittingly, he took a step back, away from Suzuka. Laetitia was right. He shouldn't have come. He shouldn't have tried to talk to Suzuka at all. He started to edge towards the door, trying to get away from Suzuka.

Seeing what he was trying to do, Suzuka snarled. "What, running away again, coward? Yes, coward. I'm calling you a COWARD!!" She saw a brief flash of anger in his eyes, before that was once again replaced with fear. She hated weaklings. She hated the Shadow Alliance. She hated Laetitia. And she hated Jhonen.

She tugged at her restraints, ignoring the pain, wanting so badly to leap up and tear Jhonen limb from limb. The grizzly bear. The grizzly bear could do the job. And sure enough, slowly, she started to grow larger, muscles elongating, body expanding, as she started to shapeshift. One part of her mind- the logical part that still barely functioned, reasoned that the mutation-suppressing drug must be starting to wear off, that was why she was able to shift.

Jhonen watched, not only fascinated, but also paralyzed with fear, as Suzuka changed into one of the most formidable creatures that walked the earth right now. The grizzly. She's changing into the grizzly bear. His breath caught in his throat as Suzuka changed, more and more, the slow transformation almost complete. RUN!! His instincts told him to run for his life, but he stood, rooted to the spot, transfixed on the scene before him.

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No. Suzuka, Don't. 

The transformation was now complete. In Suzuka's place stood a huge grizzly bear, angry and bellowing, red in its eyes. The creature started to advance towards him, but the handcuffs stopped it, the tiny things cutting, painfully, into the creature's huge wrists. With a loud growl and one strong yank, the chains connecting the handcuffs to the pipe broke, and the grizzly raised itself onto its hind legs, towering at a full 8 feet, glaring down at Jhonen. It paused, and Jhonen looked, shocked into its eyes. He didn't see Suzuka in those beady, uncomprehending eyes, nothing but the thirst for blood. And as the bear let out a loud roar, the seeming spell that the situation had held on him snapped, and he turned around, making a dash for the door.

The bear dropped to all fours, and charged at the fleeing Jhonen. He tried opening the door, but somehow, it had locked itself. He turned around to see the bear almost on top of him, and he screamed, right before he was ploughed down by 600 pounds of massive bear.

Blade's head jerked up, as he heard the shrill cry. The faint telepathic ability that he had been blessed with told him that it was Jhonen, and that his life was in danger. Yanking out the two magnum pistols resting in their holsters under his arms, he flew up the stairs, heading towards the source of the sound, worry for the boy pushing him to greater speed. He reached the door, and rammed his lean body against it, trying to get it to open. 

  
However, what he didn't know was that Suzuka had heard him coming, and stopped, moving to ambush whoever came to help the now badly wounded Jhonen.

When ramming against the door didn't work, Blade decided to use his pistols to shoot the door down, and he kicked it open, before slowly going in, guns raised, safety clicked off and at the ready for any sign of trouble. Blade was fast, skilled, and lethal in combat. He was prepared for anything, and he was definitely in his element.

But he had not counted on himself being ambushed. 

The low growl of anger was his first and only warning that he was in danger, and that was quickly followed by a swipe of Suzuka's massive paw, bloodstained claws slicing effortlessly through the air. Blade had hardly any time to dodge the attack, and instead of having his hands slashed beyond repair, he just had his magnums batted from his grasp. Before he could get slip out of Suzuka's reach, she had picked him up with one massive paw, and in one very unbearlike gesture, drove her claws into his spine, twisting them, and with her massive claws, snapped Blade's spine in two.

His shriek of pain rang out into the night, piercing through the air. She tossed him aside like a rag doll, and he flew across the room, landing near the wall, a large pool of blood starting to collect around his prone form. 

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Suzuka!! No!! Don't!!

Jhonen stared in horror at what Suzuka had done, and cowered down in the corner. Since she had been interrupted by Blade barging in on them, Suzuka hadn't been able to finish him off, and so he'd been relatively unharmed. He slipped a glance in Blade's direction, and saw to his intense surprise, that he was moving. Blade had managed to roll onto his back, and was slowly reaching a hand into his coat. Jhonen looked back up at Suzuka, who was almost upon him. 

She paused before him, and looked into his eyes. A low growl rumbled from deep within her cavernous chest, but instead of coming out as a roar, all that came out was a simple word. "Traitor."

__

What?

"No." cried Jhonen softly. "No, I'm not a traitor…" He shrank back as Suzuka raised her paw, and closed his eyes, waiting for the blow to come. "Please, Suzuka, NOOOooo…."

__

No!! NO!!

Blade raised his head at the final, long scream, and closed his eyes when it was finally cut short. Rest in peace, kid. He paused for a moment to gather up his strength, before looking over at Suzuka. "Looks like you haven't finished your job, bitch." He whispered, and smirked over at the grizzly bear, which had turned around at the sound of his voice. "Come and finish what you started." 

Unknown to Suzuka, Blade had a pair of his guns in his grip, covered loosely by the cloth of his loose overcoat. His vision blurred, as he watched the beast advance, slowly, towards him. I don't have much time left. He could feel the stickiness of his own blood seeping through the black cloth, and smiled grimly, knowing that he would die of blood loss sooner or later. He'd already lost all sensation in his lower body and knew that the darkness would soon follow after. Even if he did survive, he thought to himself, he'd be paralyzed for life. He couldn't even feel the pain anymore- it was just numb emptiness now. 

Blade smirked. Suzuka had done a pretty good job- she just hadn't done it well enough.

When she was close enough, he used the last of his strength to pull his guns from under his coat, holding them up at Suzuka, and smirked. "Die." He pressed the trigger, and started firing both guns simultaneously. 

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NOOO!!! 

Suzuka's snarl of pain echoed through the room, and twined with the sound of the gunshots, as hard metal tore through soft flesh. Shot after shot rang out as Blade continued shooting, mercilessly. When at last, the cartridges were spent and the bullet chambers clicked empty, Blade dropped his arms, unable to hold them up anymore. 

Suzuka's 6 feet of grizzly bear stood, stopped in its tracks by the barrage. Then, slowly, shaggy brown fur started to melt into smooth pale skin, and Suzuka slowly transformed back into her human shape. Her empty gray eyes stared blankly ahead, as she stood, rooted to the spot. Then, slowly, she fell forward, landing at Blade's feet with a dull thud, dead.

Blade coughed, hacking up a great deal of blood in the process. He turned his head to look down at Suzuka, and smirked, one last time. 

"If I die, then at least you'll die, too."

He then looked straight up.

"Cretes." 

__

No! No! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOO-

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!" Ryan sat up, arms flailing wildly, sweat plastering his hair to his head. "AHH!!!" 

The door burst open, and Diana, Deirdre, Kyle, and Prue ran into the room, eyes wide with shock. "Ryan! Ryan, what's wrong?!" Diana placed her hands on Ryan's shoulders, and shook him, hard, while the others stood back, worry for their leader weighing heavy in their eyes.

Ryan paused, trying to remember. "Dream. Dream- it was just a dream… all a dream." He breathed, running a hand through his hair. He leaned back, recalling the fear and horror that he'd just experienced. Closing his eyes, he covered his face with his hands, feeling the tears of relief flow down his face. "Shit." He sobbed softly. "Oh, shit. What've I gotten us into?" 

Diana watched Ryan, pain in her eyes, and pulled him close to her, and enveloped the man in a hug, shedding a tear with him. The others stood, silent, and hung their heads, and listened to the sound of Ryan Cretes crying his heart out.

$@$@$@$@$@$@$@$@$@$@

Coming up: *Ehem* This might seem slightly confusing, but it's gonna work out just fine...I hope. Anyway...coming up is Viva's third vignette (she was kind enough to write one more ^^), and then chapter 35, and the 6th interlude, all of which will take place simultaneously. Confusing? Hopefully, things will clear up a bit when the chapters are posted...O.o


	42. Vignette: All You Wanted

All You Wanted

By VivaGlam

(Song by Michelle Branch)

$@$@$@$@$@$@$@$

Diana closed the door to her room and sank down onto her bed, exhausted and fatigued, but yet, the sleep was the most unattainable and unimportant thing on her mind right now. A few doors down, she could still feel the waves of fear, regret, and pain radiating out from Ryan. Despite her shielding, Ryan's despair at the seemingly insurmountable odds that faced them and his fear for Suzuka, made especially strong by the nightmare that he'd just had, had increased drastically from a dull buzzing that had been hovering at the edge of Diana's consciousness the entire evening, to a loud roar that shook her consciousness and made her vision swim.

She could feel a migraine coming on, but instead of talking to Ryan and asking him to not project his emotions so much, Diana instead concentrated on pushing the humming back, and keeping it down to a minimum. After a few minutes of struggling, she finally managed to keep her power to a minimum, and rose from her bed, to slowly trudge to the makeshift kitchenette found in the spacious cabin that they were now inhabiting. 

She opened some cabinets, before finally finding the aspirin. She downed a couple, and found some milk. Milk was always comforting. Some people turned to mashed potatoes as their comfort food, while others viewed brownies, or chocolate chip cookies as their personal comfort food- a safety blanket of sorts that transported them back to a quiet time, when they had not been threatened by the wiles of the world, and the smell of Mom's freshly baked cookies was all that was needed to make everything right once again. For Diana, it was milk- something about just drinking the dairy product reminded her of times when her aunt's kindhearted maid would comfort her during difficult times with a glass of cool milk and a plate of warm cookies. It wasn't so much of the food, mused Diana, as it was the warm feeling of knowing that somebody cared for you that really made the comfort food as, well, comforting as it was.

In times like these, she'd come to realize that now, instead of the maid and her milk and cookies that she used rely on for comfort, she'd replaced those with the team. More specifically, Ryan. She cared deeply for everybody on the team, of course. Even- no, especially Jhonen. But most people would always be closer to some people in the team than to others, and she was no exception. She'd always had a soft spot for young Deirdre, but she and Ryan had connected in a way that she doubted few other people ever had.

Even from the first time that they'd met each other, she'd felt a special connection. She had looked up to him, wanted to be like him so badly. He'd been free, _alive_, away from the constraints of boarding school, and so far away from her uncaring, snobby aunt and her perfect, beautiful half sister. He led the kind of life that she'd always wanted to lead, and so she'd been more than willing to join him.

__

I wanted to be like you  
I wanted everything

And he'd been exotic. Not exotic in his looks, but exotic in his history, and in his background. Ryan had been so different, and yet so familiar at the same time. And he was a mutant. A true blue mutant. Sure, she was a mutant just like Ryan was, but he somehow embodied everything that she thought a mutant did, or should do. A hero, on the run, using their abilities for humankind, for the greater good, leading a life of chivalry and heroism against those who would endanger the innocent. It was so romantic. He'd appeared from out of the blue- they'd both met through a chance encounter, and somehow, they'd just clicked.

And it didn't hurt that he'd been rather good-looking, too. Ryan had always acted towards her in a very brotherly way, and she wondered if he knew. If he'd ever wondered about the way that she looked at him, eyes full of adoration and…

Did she dare say it? Love.

So when the time and need for them to go into hiding came, she'd been more than willing to follow Ryan. Ryan, her very own handsome, courageous hero, who she'd follow to the ends of the Earth, in his quest for peace between the mutants and the humans.

__

So I tried to be like you  
And I got swept away 

When she'd first joined up with Ryan, she'd been a hopelessly inexperienced fighter- now, after two and a half year, she was actually decent- she wouldn't be completely helpless in a fight, that's for sure.

But Ryan had been gently patient with her the whole time through. She'd clearly been his weak link, back when she'd first joined him, and yet, he still kept her around, despite the fact that she was a liability, a loose end. Somebody more ruthless would have gotten rid of her, or left her behind. But not Ryan.

__

I didn't know that it was so cold

But being a mutant on the run wasn't as romantic, or as wonderful as she'd thought it would be. She nearly blushed with embarrassment at the memory of her ignorance and naiveté. The lack of food, having to sleep in cars, or even, once, in an alleyway, all made her curse her stupidity. Nobody had told her that having adventures was going to be difficult. Or painful. If she had known, she wouldn't have gone.

Who was she kidding? She'd known it all along. And she'd still gone, anyways. She'd just refused to believe herself. That it would be this difficult. And yet, Diana reasoned, that's what made it so meaningful. One savored triumphs and victories much better if one had had to work for it. And she'd sure as hell worked hard to stay on this team, and pull her own weight, and be somebody who the others, the younger, more inexperienced ones could count on to mother them, to comfort them whenever they needed it.

And on bad days, she comforted herself with the fact that she was being a hero, doing what heroes did, and maybe, someday, she would be appreciated for what she did.

__

  
And you needed someone to show you the way  


In a way, she felt that Ryan needed her as much as he needed the team. Not many people got the chance to see Ryan show his emotionally vulnerable side, but she did, and she often saw the pain that he went through. Leading this team had taken its toll on him. In so many ways, he was as lost as they were. He was just better at hiding it.

She hadn't really been surprised when Ryan had picked her to be his second-in-command. Kyle was older, and Suzuka a better fighter, but nobody knew Ryan quite like she did. And she'd come to realize that Ryan leaned on her for a certain amount of emotional support as much as she leaned on him. It was a relationship of mutual benefit- neither of them could carry the heavy burden of leadership by themselves, so they relied on each other for strength, and carried the load together. 

__

So I took your hand and we figured out  
That when the tide comes I'd take you away 

Someday, she mused, when this was all over, she would tell Ryan. About everything. About her feelings for him, and about how she wanted to care for him and be by his side forever. She'd take him away, to a place where the pain and hurt of the world could never taint his soul anymore than it already had.

__

If you want to  
I can save you  
I can take you away from here

She recalled the exact words that Ryan had said to her, when extending his hand to her, encouraging her to join his team. "You're not safe here anymore. I can't guarantee your safety forever, because it's a tough world out there. But if you want to, I can take you away, and save you."

__

  
So lonely inside  
So busy out there  
And all you wanted was somebody who cares 

She'd agreed immediately. Anywhere was better than here. And there was Ryan. He'd take care of her. Protect her. Somehow, something about the way he'd said those words had struck a chord deep within her, and she was moved to go with him. 

In hindsight, Diana realized that part of the reason that she was so willing to go along was because she'd somehow sensed that despite his tough, self-sufficient exterior lay a lonely man who was badly in need of care and compassion. It had taken awhile to get to the core of it. Ryan was good at hiding his emotions behind work, behind the guise of necessity. And yet, once she'd dug beneath the surface, she'd discovered that he felt so… empty. There was no real word for it- being an empath, it was hard to describe what she'd seen of his emotional core. All she knew was that he needed somebody to open up to, to care for again, before he was lost for good.

__

I'm sinking slowly  
So hurry hold me  
Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on

Diana sank slowly down to the floor, and rested her back against the cabinets, tipping her head back to rest them against the cool, smooth plastic. She could identify completely with the emptiness inside of Ryan. 

Tired, so tired. The weight of the world lay heavily on his shoulders, and now, it's terrible weight dragged her own being down with it, too. It was so easy, sometimes. To just give up, and lay there, waiting for the inevitable. So tempting, the prospect. How Ryan had even managed to last this long, she had no idea. The pain of having sent Suzuka to her probably doom started to gnaw at the edges of her heart, and she closed her eyes, a tear slowly trickling down her cheek.

__

  
Please can you tell me  
So I can finally see  
Where you go when you're gone

She held her head in her hands, and rocked back and forth, slowly. How does Ryan cope with this? She wondered tearfully. I can't. I can't. I don't want to. Too young. Don't want this responsibility anymore. 

The sudden change in her mood was palpable, and the night air seemed pregnant with expectation. If this was a movie, Ryan would have appeared from his room, and swept poor, fragile Diana into his arms, whispering and comforting her, that everything was going to be alright when she woke up, that it was all just a bad dream.

But this was no movie.

__

If you want to  
I can save you  
I can take you away from here

And Diana was left alone to her sobs. Alone, without anybody to comfort her, or to make her feel better.

  
_So lonely inside  
So busy out there  
And all you wanted was somebody who cares_

She raised a hand to her eyes and wiped the tears streaming down her face roughly, angry that she had succumbed to the feelings of guilt and regret that were plaguing her. She couldn't afford to have the luxury of wallowing in self-pity. The others needed her. She had to be there for them all, and especially for Ryan. Ryan, who had enough to worry about already, without having his second-in-command go to pieces on him.

__

All you wanted was somebody who cares

But if she was there for them, then who would be there for her? In times like this? 

If I'm caring for Ryan, then who'll care for me? The only answer that she got from her mind was a blank.

__

  
If you need me you know I'll be there  
Oh, yeah 

She smiled ruefully. But then again, that didn't really matter, now did it? Because the team came before her. She loved Ryan, and his well-being would have to come before hers, because the well-being of the entire team depended on him. And if that meant that she went to pieces, then, well, so be it. Sacrifices have to be made, and Diana would make them for the sake of the team.

And for Ryan.

She placed the glass of milk down in the sink, and then proceeded to head back to her room. Did Ryan know? Did he even have the slightest clue about her feelings for him? Surely a telepath like him would be able to pick up on such feelings. And yet, she'd grown to realize over time that even telepathic men could be incredibly dense and stupid.

As she reached her room, she flopped back onto her bed. How was Ryan feeling right now? Cautiously letting her shields down, she discovered that he was no longer projecting his emotions out. Breathing a grateful sigh of relief, she lifted the covers and snuggled back down under them. Sleep wasn't going to be easy, but she needed the rest, and the Tylenol that she had taken was starting to take effect, the drug causing her to feel drowsy.

Eyelids heavy, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


	43. Nightmares Revisited

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: The next chapter probably won't be posted until Saturday or Sunday - I have three written finals this week, and I actually have to study for two of them...:P

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

[...] Indicates dreams

***

Chapter Thirty-Five: Nightmares Revisited

***

Ryan heard the door shut as Diana and the others left the room. Kyle, too, had left, even though he slept in that very room. Whether it was because of temporary insomnia or politeness, Ryan wasn't sure. Probably a bit of both.

His eyes still burned from his tears - a constant, stinging pain that added a physical dimension to the emotional torment the nightmare had brought. A part of him wanted to reach out for Diana, to find comfort in her support and trust in him, but the other - stronger - part of him responded only with disgust. She was too young, too innocent, to have to carry the burden of his guilt. He was the one who'd messed up; it wasn't fair that she should be the one to feel the consequences. 

Ryan closed his eyes. He could still see the nightmare, still feel the fear that the violent images had caused. And the worst thing was that he knew it wasn't an unlikely scenario. Suzuka had quite a temper, and she often ignored her common sense when she was angry. And Blade...Ryan didn't have any doubts that Blade would kill Suzuka in a heartbeat. 

His fear was slowly replaced with anger as he thought about Suzuka's situation. Anger towards himself, anger towards the Shadow Alliance, but most of all anger towards Blade, who'd tormented Ryan for years and furthermore found his guilt and agony extremely amusing. 

And beneath the anger Ryan found something he hadn't felt in a long time - the need for revenge. Revenge against the person who'd caused him and his team so many problems, the revenge he had every right to take.

It was wrong; Ryan realized that much. His sudden, burning need for revenge wasn't something he was particular proud of, but it couldn't be denied. His conscience tried to object, but Ryan was too angry, too determined to listen.

He reached out and quickly found what he searched for - he was very familiar with Blade's cold, eerie presence, and the fact that they were in the same town only made things easier. Ryan carefully reached out with his thoughts to test the mental shields, and noted with a hint of satisfaction that Blade's shields were significantly weakened by sleep.

He brushed the surface, looking for something to use against his enemy. He wouldn't be able to go any deeper without being discovered, but he knew that sleep often brought otherwise dormant memories to the surface. 

Fragments of a conversation with Nike - Ryan couldn't make out the words, but something about the memory sent a shiver down his spine. Jhonen, talking to Suzuka, neither aware that they were being watched - again Blade's shields were too strong to allow details to come through, but it was impossible to miss Suzuka's anger towards Jhonen. 

Ryan pushed the memories aside and continued his search. Fragments of other memories surfaced, but none of them were something Ryan wanted to dwell on. He looked deeper and finally found what he was looking for; the memories he had known would be there. Dark, painful, terrifying; memories of a time Ryan himself only had a vague recollection of. He continued, looking for fear. Pure, merciless terror, fear in its rawest shape. It was there; it had to be. Blade had been seventeen at that time, hadn't he? He would have seen - and remembered - far more that Ryan had. 

And suddenly, with an unexpectedness that caught Ryan by surprise, a memory surfaced - detailed, chilling, dark, and terrifying in its clarity.

He felt the memory pull him along, and for a second he almost panicked, afraid that he wouldn't be able to get loose. An endless moment passed, and then Ryan was finally able to tear himself away from the memory and retreat to the safety of his own mind. 

He smiled faintly. He was safe from the memories...Blade would not be nearly as lucky.

[The ground shook below his feet as another explosion went off nearby. The air was filled with dust, smoke, and debris; a chaotic mess hidden in the darkness, only illuminated by the fires outside. His lungs burned with each breath, the dust threatening to choke him as he fought to get outside. A drop of sweat and dirt rolled down his face, into the bleeding cut on his cheek. He expected to feel a searing pain from the salt in the wound, but his body had been pushed too far, was too exhausted to feel pain.

He felt the rough metal door beneath his hands, and he stumbled into the night. Another breath, and he felt the scorching, thick smoke from a burning car at the entrance to the alley. Out on the main road, a group of humans in FoH uniforms hurried by, carrying the bloody, disfigured body of a furry mutant. The glow from the fires gave their uniforms an almost blood-red color, and he stumbled to the end of the alley and into a corner, away from the chaotic madness of the city.

Another explosion went off, and the earth beneath his feet shook again. He fell to the ground, too exhausted to remain on his feet. More smoke, more dust; each breath bringing both life and death as the oxygen was joined by the thick, flour-like cloud of debris that filled his throat. He coughed, but his throat was already too dry, too raspy, to get rid of the fine powder. The world around him started to spin as the lack of oxygen slowly, ever so slowly, took away his strength, and he fought to keep his eyes open, but found that he couldn't. And maybe this was death, but he was too tired, too exhausted, and too miserable to care about anything but painless oblivion. The ground rumbled again, this time low and persistent as the large building next to him caved in with a morbid gracefulness. A brick fell down and splintered on the ground next to him-] 

-And hundreds of miles away, in a small hotel room in Chicago, Blade sat up with a strangled gasp. He instinctively reached up to touch his cheek, but felt only the thin scar. He took a deep breath and tried to relax - there was no blood and no bruises. It hadn't been real. It was a memory - nothing more, nothing less. A memory. Not real.

There was a slight movement next to him as Jordane sat up, torn out of her peaceful sleep by his reaction to the nightmare.

"Blade? Are you alright?" she asked quietly.

"Go back to sleep, Jordane," Blade whispered hoarsely, without looking at her. He could still feel the fine powder cling to his throat, feel the searing heat with each breath, even across the nine years that had passed since that night.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong," Jordane replied and shook her head. She put a hand on his shoulder, and her eyes widened slightly.

"You're trembling," she whispered. "Blade? What happened?"

"Go back to sleep," Blade repeated, this time colder, harder, and Jordane was suddenly reminded of the man she'd first met that night nearly four years ago.

"Blade..." she tried again and pointedly ignored the part of her that kept whispering that the wise thing to do would be to leave him alone, before he lost his temper. 

"Do as I say!" he snapped, and Jordane's eyes widened, almost fearfully. This wasn't the man she was used to - this wasn't the man who'd saved her life and taken her under his wings. This was someone cold and terrifying, someone she'd only seen used against a few, unfortunate victims, all of whom had met a sudden, painful demise. 

Blade shook his head and looked at her with eyes that were too old and too weary for someone who was only twenty-six. 

"I'm sorry," he whispered and in his voice was a tired regret that only served to make Jordane even more worried. "I didn't mean to..."

He trailed off, and Jordane leaned against his chest and listened to his frantic heartbeat.

"What happened?" she repeated softly. "Talk to me - let me help you. You don't have to be strong all the time."

Blade kissed her on the top of her head, and Jordane could hear his heartbeat slow down until it reached its usual calm, steady beat.

"No need to worry about me, my Queen," he replied, and he was finally back to his old, confident self. "I'll be fine."

"Someday, I'll find out what's going on in that twisted head of yours," Jordane remarked lightly, and Blade smirked.

"Not tonight, Melee. Not tonight."

He lay down again, suddenly tired as the adrenaline-level in his blood rapidly decreased. Jordane snuggled up next to him with one arm sprawled lazily across his chest, and closed her eyes. It was a remarkably trusting gesture, and Blade knew that she was one of the few people in the world who knew his reputation, and still felt so safe in his company. But then again...he'd never really given her reason to fear him, had he?

Absently, he started to trace idle circles on her hips with his thumb, and she sighed contently. It still surprised him sometimes how responsive she was to even the simplest gestures of affection. Surprised and scared him. Her trust in him brought back protective instincts he didn't even know he had, and during the first couple of months he'd often found himself torn between his desire to protect her, and his common sense which told him to leave her before things got any further. 

In the end common sense had lost. He'd kept Jordane with him, and there had yet to be a situation where he regretted that decision. Sure, it hadn't always been easy to take care of a teenage girl, but it had been worth the trouble. And although he was reluctant to admit it, it felt good to have someone who cared. Someone to watch his back. Someone he could trust completely, even with his life. And on a night like this, someone who was worried about him when he woke up, shaken to his very core by a nightmare.

The nightmare... 

Blade frowned. There had been something about that nightmare, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Something...just the faintest hint of recognition at the edge of his awareness. The last traces of a presence - determined, angry, and...familiar. He knew that presence.

"Ryan!" he growled, furious, and the name echoed through his mind.

And even as Jordane opened her eyes and looked at him with obvious confusion, Ryan felt the hate, the fury, and the anger that followed Blade's discovery, and he felt a sudden fear as he realized what the consequences of his actions would be.

__

No!

And all to quickly, time had run out. They had to act, and they had to act fast.

Soundlessly, Ryan got out of bed and put on his clothes, deliberately choosing dark colors. To sneak inside the hotel would be risky, but it was their only option - in the best case, a direct attack would accomplish nothing. In the worst case scenario...he didn't want to think about that. 

Ryan shook his head and considered the options. They'd have to sneak inside, which meant that he could only bring a few people with him. Someone with powers that could be used in battle. Kyle would be the obvious choice; Kyle, and...he paused. Prue, while powerful, wouldn't be able to use her powers for much in this particular situation. The same was the case with Diana. Deirdre, maybe? He frowned. He wasn't too happy about the thought of putting her in danger, but he didn't have much of a choice. Besides...Deirdre, like Kyle, needed very little sleep. With a little luck she would still be awake, which would make it easier to sneak out without being noticed by the others. 

Ryan reached out with his powers, and felt the two sitting in the living room, talking quietly. He smiled faintly despite the graveness of the situation. For once it seemed that Lady Luck was on their side. Hopefully it would last - they would certainly need her help later.

He reached out with his powers to check that the rest of the team was asleep, and was relieved to find that it was the case. He hesitated as he felt Diana caught in a restless, drug-induced sleep. At the edge of her awareness he sensed the beginning of a nightmare, but dismissed it with a thought. Diana seemed to sense his presence, and unconsciously started to radiate waves of concern.

__

Hush, Ryan whispered gently. _It's going to be okay, Diana. I promise._

The words seemed to calm Diana down, and Ryan withdrew from her mind with a relieved sigh. He stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind him, then continued into the living room. Kyle and Deirdre looked up in surprise, and Ryan could feel their concern for him quite clearly.

"Ryan...?" Kyle asked, but Ryan shook his head.

"We're leaving. Suzuka's in serious trouble."

***

Coming up: Just what is it that Ryan knows? How far will Blade go to get even? And will the three Guardians actually be able to save their teammate? Tune in next time *he, he*


	44. 6th Interlude: Morality and Honor

*Frowns* I'm not sure if I like this particular interlude...but oh, well... 

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: The interlude takes place simultaneously with the third vignette and chapter 35. Oh, and before anyone starts to believe everything the characters say - remember, a lot of the recent information about the Shadow Alliance comes from Jhonen's view of things. But he's a human, and humans can be manipulated. I'll leave it to you to figure out how much of it is true ;)

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Sixth Interlude: Morality and Honor

***

Jhonen walked into his room, tired beyond belief. The conversation with Suzuka had drained him more than he cared to admit - her accusations and anger had hurt. To hear his former teammate curse the day they accepted him on the team...

He sighed, willing himself to forget Suzuka, but found that he couldn't.

"You look like shit," someone remarked.

Jhonen looked up, and found Zach leaning against the wall with a deliberate laziness that seemed completely at odds with his threatening attitude.

"Bad day," Jhonen explained. "Even worse night."

"Oh, yeah," Zach agreed. "I heard you had a talk with Twilight," he noted. 

"Yeah," Jhonen replied and sat down on his bed. "If you could call yelling and cursing a talk," he added under his breath.

"Didn't go too well, I take?" Zach asked, although the words were more of a statement than a question.

Jhonen winced.

"Well...she called me a traitor and a coward, and said that they should never have accepted me on the team in the first place. Other than that..." he trailed off, looking downright uncomfortable. 

Zach snorted.

"Ignore it. She's just a bitchy pain in the ass."

"But she has a point, I think," Jhonen sighed. "I *did* leave them. Not exactly honorable, you know."

"Honor?" Zach repeated, and this time there was a note of scorn in his voice. "I wouldn't talk too much about honor, if I were her."

Jhonen looked at Zach, confusion plan on his face.

"What do you mean?"

"She calls herself a fighter, and yet she tries to kill people in their sleep. I hate people like that."

Jhonen frowned. Something wasn't making sense. He wasn't particular keen at getting into a discussion with Zach, but something in him refused to let the comment pass.

"But isn't that what Blade and Laetitia do?" he asked, against his better judgement. 

Surprisingly, though, Zach didn't get angry. Instead he looked at Jhonen with an almost serious expression on his face.

"No. No, it's different, don't you see?" he asked, and this time there was no scorn in his voice. "They don't hide what they're doing, J.," he continued. "They don't try to hide they actions behind some righteous facade. If they kill someone, at least they're honest about it."

Zach paused, but Jhonen didn't reply, sensing that the other still had something he wanted to say.

"I only kill people in self-defense, and only if there is no other way out," Zach finally said. "Now personally, I don't care much for assassinations, but I respect Blade and Nike's frankness."

"You're not-?" Jhonen stopped before he could finish the question, afraid of Zach's possible reaction.

"-A killer?" Zach asked wryly. "Is that what Cretes calls us? Killers? Murderers? Criminals with delusions of grandeur?"

Jhonen looked away, a bit ashamed at he'd asked the question. They were his new team now, not the enemy he'd faced in the past. They had done nothing to deserve his accusations. 

"Jhonen, most of us don't kill without a reason. We do it only when we have to, and only to save our own lives," Zach explained with quiet conviction. "We do have a sense of honor, no matter Cretes might have told you about us. We are neither insane, nor bloodthirsty. We just try to stay alive."

"Blade told me otherwise," Jhonen remarked. "Before I...left the others. He told me that while he might not kill a mutant without a reason, he would have no problem with killing a random human."

Zach sighed.

"Let's just say that Nike and Blade are special cases, okay? Nike was raised to be the perfect killer, and Blade...he has issues with the existence of humanity. Don't judge the rest of us on their actions."

Jhonen paused, talking some time to consider Zach's words. In some weird way they made sense - that surprised him. Sure, he hadn't exactly wondered about his new team's view on morality and honor, but he'd never expected any of them to have a sense of honor that was as strong as Zach's. It seemed so strange compared to Blade's indifferent attitude to killing...and it didn't sound anything like the things Ryan had told him about the Shadow Alliance.

"How'd you even end up here in the first place?" Jhonen asked curiously. 

Zach frowned, silently debating how much to tell Jhonen, then sighed.

"I had to leave my mom and my little sister to keep them safe from the humans. I followed a local fight circuit and ended up in New York. I met Hal there, and we teamed up, making a living through stealing and fighting."

"Fighting?" Jhonen repeated, disbelieving. "How old were you?"

Zach lay down on his bed and closed his eyes with a tired look on his face.

"Fifteen," he finally admitted. "Too young to follow a fight circuit, but I was a good fighter, and the alternatives were even worse."

"Shit..." Jhonen muttered.

Zach opened his eyes.

"What? You thought all of us have had as easy a time as Cretes and his team? There's a darker side to society, Jhonen, and they don't give a damn about peaceful coexistence. We've all been trapped there at one point or another. It's kill or be killed, and as you can see...we're still alive."

"I-I used to steal, too, before I met Ryan," Jhonen confessed.

"Then you know," Zach said quietly. "It's not easy out there. What we're doing...it's not morally correct or particularly honorable, but it keeps us alive. Alive and safe, and that's what matters."

Jhonen nodded and was almost surprised to find himself agreeing with Zach's words. They made sense. He'd lived on the streets, too, and knew exactly how it felt. And with the words came another realization - Ryan had been wrong. The members of the Shadow Alliance were human, too - most of them were just too weary and scarred to show it. 

They were human, with emotions and dreams and fears and desires. And the more he thought about, the less he cared for the self-sacrificing attitude of his former teammates. 

***

Coming up: Will Ryan and the others be able to save Suzuka? And just how far will Blade go to get even? 


	45. Blood Moon Rising, part I

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: **R&R, people! Feed the starving artist ^^**

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Thirty-Six: Blood Moon Rising, part I

(Continued directly from chapter 35)

***

"Ryan!" Blade growled. Now that he knew the reason behind his nightmare, it was so obvious that he wondered why he hadn't realized it until now. 

__

Damnit!

"Blade?" Jordane asked. "What's wrong?"

"It appears that Cretes is playing mindgames," Blade replied and barely suppressed anger was obvious in his words. "I strongly suspect that nightmare wasn't a coincidence."

"*He* caused it? But he wouldn't..." Jordane trailed off, confused. Nightmares, mindreading...it wasn't Ryan's style, she knew that. The man was almost obsessive when it came to his powers - he refused to use them for unethical purposes, unless the lives of his teammates were on the line.

"Either he's breaking down...or maybe he isn't such a goody-two-shoes after all," Blade said slowly. "Either way we need to take it into consideration the next time we face him."

Jordane sighed.

"I'm getting tired of him. Why don't we just kill him and get it over with? You know where they're staying, don't you? One well-placed bomb would take care of our problem for good," she suggested.

Blade raised an eyebrow.

"A bomb?" he repeated. "I thought you hated explosives."

Jordane sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"He hurt you, and I don't like to see you in pain. Tonight it was a nightmare...who knows what it'll be tomorrow?" she whispered. "Stop the game, Blade. You've won - it's only a matter of time before he breaks. Let's kill him before it's too late...*please*." 

She was right, Blade knew that much. If Cretes broke down, there was no telling what he might do. But it was also too early to stop the cat and mouse game. It was too tempting to continue, even if he knew the risks.

"Not yet, my Queen. I know what I'm doing - trust me," he said confidently. "But he will pay for what he did, I promise you that."

Jordane looked confused at him, but he didn't offer any further explanation. Instead he got out of bed and quickly put on his clothes, then turned to Jordane again. 

He took her hand and helped her out of bed, taking a moment to enjoy the view. Jordane noticed his lingering gaze and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Like what you see?" she teased, and there was no doubt that she enjoyed having his undivided attention.

"How could I not?" Blade asked and caressed her cheek. "But as much as I like the view, you better get dressed. We have something to take care off."

"You mean I can't walk around naked in the hallways?" Jordane asked mischievously. 

Blade shook his head and pulled her closer. Jordane willingly responded and melted into his embrace, a look of absolute trust on her face.

"You're mine, Jordane," Blade stated quietly. "And I don't like sharing."

"Feeling possessive?" Jordane replied breathlessly.

"Only when it comes to you." A lingering kiss on her neck followed the words, and then Blade stepped away. "Get dressed. We have work to do."

***

The three Guardians drove into the parking lot by the hotel, and parked the car where it couldn't be seen from the rooms rented by the Shadow Alliance. They had deliberately turned off the lights on the car and wore dark clothes to make them less visible in the night - with a little luck, they would avoid confrontation altogether. 

The trio stepped out of the car and stayed in the shadows as the walked closer to the hotel.

"Are you going to tell us what's wrong?" Kyle mumbled. So far, Ryan had been unusually quiet - the only time he'd said anything during the drive, it had been to give a few, curt directions.

Ryan sighed.

"I fucked up," he admitted quietly. "The nightmare...it was the last straw. I wanted to get even with Blade, so I used his own memories against him. Unfortunately, I pushed too far, and he found out that I was the one behind it."

"Damn," Kyle cursed softly and Ryan nodded grimly.

"Yeah."

"How bad do you think it is?" Deirdre whispered.

"It's...bad," Ryan finally admitted, deciding to say it as it was. "He already hates me as it is...it's not unlikely that he'll kill Suzuka to get even."

"He can't kill her!" Deirdre objected. "We have to get her out of there, now!"

"And we will," Kyle assured her. "We'll do whatever it takes, I promise." 

They stopped a bit away from the hotel, taking a moment to survey the area. It was silent around them, and only in a few of the rooms were the lights on. Ryan reached out with his powers, quickly scanning the building, searching for Suzuka and mentally marking the locations of their enemies. 

"That room up there," he said quietly and motioned towards a room in the corner of the building, as far away from prying eyes as possible. "We can use the emergency stairs and force the window open. Let's avoid the hallways if we can - too big a risk of discovery."

"Sounds like a good idea," Kyle replied. "The emergency exit is probably locked, anyway - no one is stupid enough to leave a door unlocked here. Seraphim?"

Deirdre nodded.

"No arguments from me," she said. "Let's go."

They took a quick look around to make that they were still alone, then hurried into the alley between the hotel and the larger building beside it. Kyle reached up and grabbed the end of the ladder that led to the emergency stairs. The screeching sound of metal against metal and the low rumbling that followed was cut short as Kyle raised his hand and froze the ladder mid-air. He took a deep breath, then slowly and almost soundlessly lowered it to the ground.

The trio exchanged a look, then Ryan took a solid grip on the ladder.

"Let's go."

***

"The question is simple, Nike - is she worth keeping alive?"

The words were cold, uncaring, and somehow Laetitia wasn't surprised to hear them. Somewhere deep down she'd know that it was only a matter of time before Ryan tried something to get even, and when Blade and Jordane had shown up in her room, she had known that she'd been right.

Laetitia paused before answering, giving herself time to think everything through. Unlike so many others, she wasn't afraid to voice an opinion Blade might not want to hear, and they both knew it. She wasn't stupid enough to argue with him, but if asked, she would let him know exactly what she thought.

"In my opinion...no," Laetitia finally replied. "We have almost broken her, yes, but none of the information she holds is vital to us. She's temperamental, dangerous, and nothing but a liability. Her presence makes us vulnerable to a possible attack from the Guardians. She has served her purpose in turning Jhonen away from the Guardians for good; her continuous presence would only serve to unsettle him."

"Oh, yes. Your little project. How would he react if we killed her?" Blade asked.

Laetitia smiled coldly.

"He won't turn away from us now, it's too late for that. I had a talk with him after he saw her. Twilight's anger had already weakened whatever loyalty he still felt for the Guardians. I merely finished the job."

Blade nodded slowly. 

"You've been busy," he noted. 

Laetitia raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't that what you pay me for?"

Blade smirked, but didn't reply. Instead he took a moment to consider everything Laetitia had said, and decide on a course of action. Suzuka's death might very well push Ryan over the edge, and if not, then at least give him severe guilt-trips. First Suzuka, then Ryan himself...yes. Jordane had been right - it was time to finish the game.

__

You'll regret this, Cretes. You'll regret this for the rest of your miserable existence...however short it may be.

"Kill her, and dump her body someplace public," Blade ordered coldly. "I want it on the cover of every tabloid on the continent tomorrow. Make it bloody and despicable. Make sure that no one will ever forget it."

Laetitia's responding smile was one of disturbing eagerness, and Blade realized that yes, Suzuka, with her stubbornness and deep-running desire to do good, was indeed one of the persons who annoyed Laetitia the most...which was the main reason why he'd decided to let Laetitia be the one to kill her. He could almost feel the frustration Twilight's stubbornness and sickeningly heroic attitude had caused Nike, and he knew that it would make the young assassin even more unstable than usual. Much as he would have liked to kill Suzuka himself, he knew that it would be smarter to give Nike an outlet for her frustration, before she did something they would all regret.

Laetitia reached down and grabbed a silencer from a bag. With quick, precise movements she attached it to the gun she'd been cleaning, and clicked off the safety. She sent her two teammates a brief look, then disappeared out the door. 

"What about Ryan?" Jordane asked concerned, once she was sure Laetitia was out of hearing range. "You know this could very well push him over the edge."

"We'll deal with him soon...very soon," Blade promised, and his tone left no doubts about the truth of the words.

Jordane nodded and felt some of the worry leave her mind.

***

Suzuka didn't move as Laetitia entered the room - she remained where she was, curled up in the corner, not even raising her head to look at her would-be killer. Tired, lonely, miserable, scared...

__

Broken, Laetitia noted with a look of triumph in her eyes. They'd won. It was time to end the game.

In one, fluent movement she aimed the gun at Suzuka. It would be quick and painless, as she'd promised. The cuts, the bruises...she could make them later. She'd done it before, once, while she still lived in Greece.

Laetitia smiled coldly, and there was no hesitation as she pulled the trigger.

***

To be continued...


	46. Blood Moon Rising, part II

Too. Much. Studying. Need. Sleep. Gaaaahhh...*collapses on stack of notes and starts to snore* 

**__**

Translated: I can't promise more than a chapter a week for the next couple of weeks, since I'm neck-deep in finals and three years of history notes.

VivaGlam and her muse have written a kind of AU ficlet - 'Stopping Time, an interview with Kyle Sanderson'. The result can be found at: sorciere.freeservers.com / stoppingtime.html

Be warned - there's sex, booze, and manipulations, but if that doesn't scare you off, take a look at it - it's absolutely great ^^

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: Commander Blue: As I warned you, it will take a while before your character is introduced, so patience you must have, my young apprentice ^^

J.DeLuca: Don't worry, I don't mind if people don't review once or twice. It's the people who repeatedly 'forgets' to review that bothers me.

WritingMoose: *Lights up* Kill, you say? Hmmm...I sense some possibilities here...*eg*

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

'...' Indicates a conversation between Jhonen and a spirit

***

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Blood Moon Rising, part II

***

The bullet pierced the air, followed by the muted hiss from the silencer. Across the room, towards its unmoving prey, faster, closer - 

- And froze less than two feet from Suzuka. 

Laetitia's head snapped up, instantly searching for the mutant she knew was behind. A flicker of movement in the curtain that covered the window was the only clue she needed. 

The window was open.

She raised her gun to fire again, but before she could finish the motion, a sharp pain tore through her mind, and she fell to the floor, unconscious. 

Only seconds later the three Guardians made their way through the window, into the small room. Once inside, it took them mere moments to find the person they were looking for. 

"Suzuka!"

The relief was clear in Deirdre's voice, but she deliberately made sure to whisper - the last thing they needed was any hostile company. The trio hurried to Suzuka's side, but there was no reaction from the girl - no reply, no movements, not a single sign that she'd heard them.

"Suzuka?" Ryan asked quietly and crouched next to her, but she flinched and tried to get away. Ryan and Kyle exchanged a concerned look, then Kyle kneeled in front of her, trying to calm her down.

"Suzuka? Come on, it's us," Kyle urged gently. "Suzuka?"

The girl looked at him, and Kyle winced. Several lines of dried blood ran from a long cut on her cheek, and her lips were bruised and swollen. 

__

Christ...

"Kyle?" she whispered, for the first time really registering their presence. 

"Yes...yes, it's me," Kyle replied gently. "We're gonna get you out of here, I promise."

Meanwhile, Ryan had pulled out a set of skeleton keys and begun to work on the handcuffs. The ever-present set of keys in his pocket was a bad habit from his time on the streets, but tonight it was a habit he was thankful for. 

Kyle looked briefly at Deirdre and motioned towards the door. Deirdre nodded and quickly locked the door, and then jammed a chair between the handle and the floor, efficiently sealing off the room.

Ryan twisted the keys a bit, and heard the welcome click as the handcuffs sprang open. Kyle quickly helped Suzuka up, and Ryan nodded towards the window.

"Let's go."

***

'Jhonen! You've got company,' Erik warned, and Jhonen head snapped up. He had been lying on his bed, relaxing, since Laetitia had all but ordered him to get some rest before the mental strain on him became too great. Quite frankly he agreed with her, and right now Erik's company was the last thing he needed.

'What do you mean?' he asked, slightly suspicious. 

'Three of your old teammates are trying to free Twilight. I suggest you do something about it - now!' Erik snapped.

"Fuck!" Jhonen cursed and got up.

Zach looked at him, his own tiredness instantly replaced by a healthy amount of caution. He had long ago learned to be in a constant state of alertness, even when he was half-asleep.

"What's wrong?"

"They're trying to free Suzuka," Jhonen explained, already halfway out of the door. 

Zach didn't need any further explanations - he'd picked up the meaning almost immediately and hurried out of the door after Jhonen, unconsciously preparing an electric bolt. They hurried into Laetitia's room to warn her, but found instead Blade and Jordane sitting at the table, talking quietly.

"What's wrong?" Blade asked.

"The Guardians are here," Jhonen explained quickly. "Where's Nike?"

In an instant, Blade and Jordane were on their feet, both with their guns drawn, and Jhonen's worry for Laetitia kicked up a notch.

"She's with Suzuka," Blade growled. "Let's go!" 

They hurried down the hallway, to the small room where Suzuka was, but found the door shut. Blade grabbed the handle, and it became obvious that there was something more than the lock keeping them out - the doorknob could barely move, and it felt like it was scraping against something. 

"Fuck! It's jammed," Blade cursed, then turned to Jhonen. "Where's Nike? Is she clear of the door?"

'You heard him,' Jhonen snapped mentally. 

'I'm not your personal slave!' Erik snapped back. 'I'm not gonna-'

'Where is she?!' Jhonen demanded furiously. 'TELL ME!'

He wasn't sure what he had expected - rage, anger, and annoyance, maybe, but certainly not fear. He was angry, yes, but anger couldn't hurt a spirit, could it? Whatever the reason, Erik flinched and in an instant his defiance had disappeared and been replace by something that could only be described as fear.

__

Fear of me, Jhonen realized with surprise, but suppressed the thought and focused on the task at hand.

'Well?' he repeated impatiently.

'In the left corner of the room,' Erik replied almost reluctantly, and looked away. 'She's clear of the door.'

"Left corner of the room," Jhonen relayed, and Blade nodded.

"Good."

He raised one of his guns and fired repeatedly at the lock, destroying the metal and part of the chair behind the door. A well-placed kick splintered the remains of the lock, and the door slapped open. The four mutants entered the room, ready to shoot at anything that moved, but it was too late - the uninvited visitors were already gone, and had taken Suzuka with them. Jhonen looked around frantically until he saw an unmoving shape in one of the corners. 

"Laetitia!" 

He hurried to the woman and instinctively checked for a pulse, then breathed a sigh of relief as he found it. He looked up and found Zach watching him with a concerned look in his eyes.

"Just unconscious," Jhonen said softly, and Zach let out a small sign of relief. 

"Over here!" Jordane called from the window. 

Down on the parking lot, three people were making their way away from the hotel, supporting a fourth, and obviously weakened person. Zach got up and hurried to the window, while Jhonen stayed where he was, watching Laetitia. Blade sent Zach a look, and the meaning was impossible to miss.

The boy nodded and quickly formed an electric bolt in his hand, then threw it at the four mutants. They would pay for hurting his teammate, he would personally see to that.

The bolt flew through the air, but collided with an invisible shield less than four feet from the Guardians. The blast hit the barrier, then spread out until it covered almost half the shield, creating a glowing, sizzling half-dome. As quickly as it had come, though, the shining dome frizzled and died out, leaving only a faint smell of ozone behind.

__

Sanderson, Blade thought coldly. _Smart choice, Cretes, but you put too much faith in him. That shield can't last forever._

Jordane looked questioningly at him, and Blade reached a decision. 

"Keep them occupied," he ordered, and the meaning was clear. 

__

Wear them down.

Jordane nodded and drew her gun. Zach sent another bolt after the four mutants, but like the first, it frizzled and died as it encountered Kyle's shield. Several bullets followed close after as Jordane took over while Zach took a moment to recharge - none of the bullets actually hit the Guardians thanks to Kyle, but Blade hadn't expected them to, anyway. He watched for a moment, then handed Jordane an extra cartridge and left the room with quick strides.

***

The room Blade and Jordane shared was almost eerily silent - all sounds were strangely muffled by the walls, and the gunshots and the electric blots had been reduced to hollow whispers. Blade headed across the room, to the window, and almost as an afterthought, he picked up a small gun from his bag.

He watched carefully as the four Guardians made their way across the parking lot - the bullets, combined with Zach's lethal powers, would soon begin to wear Kyle down, and that was exactly what Blade waited for. Once the strain became too great, Kyle wouldn't be able to keep up the shield all the way around them, and he would be forced to concentrate on the main threat - Jordane and Zach. 

Another blast of energy hit the shield, only to fizzle and die. This time, however, something had changed. It wasn't much, but it was all Blade needed to see. As the blast had clashed with Kyle's powers, the energy had spread almost halfway across the shield, but at the edges, a few, small sparks had forced their way past the protective barrier. The shield was still wide enough to protect Kyle, Deirdre, and Suzuka, but Ryan was several steps ahead of them - it wouldn't make a difference to Jordane and Zach, as they wouldn't be able to hit him, but from Blade's position things looked a lot different.

He would only have one chance, though - if he miscalculated and aimed too close to Kyle, the full shield would be up in less than a heartbeat. Any shot he fired from this angle would only result in a flesh wound, but it would be enough.

Blade raised the gun and aimed it at the solitary man with slow, calculating movements.

__

Goodbye, Cretes.

***

Two bullets tore through the air, less than a heartbeat apart. Kyle reacted instinctively and strengthened the shield around him and his teammates. He spun around, expecting to find the bullets hanging in the air, but found none. It took him less than a second to realize his mistake, but by then it was already too late.

He heard a sharp gasp from Ryan, and as he turned around he saw the telepath clutch his wounded shoulder tightly. 

"Ryan!"

"Get in the car!" Ryan managed between clenched teeth. "Let's get out of here!"

Kyle nodded, and got into the driver's seat. Deirdre quickly got Suzuka into the seat beside him, then helped Ryan into the backseat, all the while looking for something to use for a makeshift bandage. 

"Let's go!" she said, and Kyle sped away from the hotel, towards the safety of their temporary residence. 

***

"You missed. It hit him in the shoulder," Jordane said as Blade returned to the room. "He'll survive."

Blade just smirked coldly.

"No. He won't."

***

Coming up: Just what is Blade talking about? Can Ben heal Ryan before it's too late? And how will Laetitia react to Ryan's mindbolt? Answers to come...eventually *eg*


	47. Blood Moon Rising, part III

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: VivaGlam: Viva, babe - compared to me, about 80 % of ff.net is 'young' ;) (damn, I feel old now...:P)

Ageless: Babe, it's me we're talking about here, remember? You know I'm a sucker for hardcore bad guys ^^

Blackcat: *bows* Thank you ^^ And I'm doing the best I can to get the chapters out fast, despite of the finals ;)

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Blood Moon Rising, part III

***

Jhonen sighed for only God knew what time, and sank down in a chair next to Laetitia's bed. It had been fifteen minutes since the encounter with the Guardians, and still the Greek woman showed no signs of waking up.

"She should've been awake by now," Pheonix said concerned, unconsciously echoing Jhonen's thoughts. 

"Something must have happened," Aaron hissed. "I told her that we shouldn't have stayed here, but..." he trailed off and shook his head.

"...But no one argues with Nike," Pheonix finished. 

"Exactly."

"It's Cretes, it has to be," Hal said and got up from her chair. "Why don't Blade and Nike just get rid of him once and for all? First Suzuka's attack, and now this - the guy is going insane, and if he loses control, there's nothing we can do to stop him."

She suddenly remembered that Jhonen was in the room, and sent him a faint, apologetic smile.

"Sorry, Jhonen, but that's how I see it. No offence."

"None taken," Jhonen replied quietly. "I'm not so sure about Ryan myself anymore. He's not...he's a good guy, but he's just too...naive, I guess."

"If he continues protecting the damn humans, he's going to get his team killed some day," Pheonix sneered. "He's a mutant - he should worry about his own kind, and not the species that's trying to fucking kill us!"

"What is it they say? The good guys always die first?" Aaron said.

Hal smiled faintly.

"In that case I know a couple of people, who are damn near immortal," she replied. 

"Let's hope that goes for Laetitia, too," Jhonen sighed.

Hal sent him a sympathetic look and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Jhonen looked at her, slightly surprised at the caring gesture. 

"Don't worry. I know Nike - she's too stubborn to let someone like Cretes slow her down for long," Hal assured him.

"I hope so," Jhonen replied. A thought suddenly occurred to him, and he looked at Hal with undisguised hope in his eyes.

"You can see the different timelines, can't you? Can't you see what will happen to her, then?"

Hal sighed, almost sorry to take away Jhonen sudden hopefulness. 

"It's too far into the future," she replied with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry."

Jhonen looked away, feeling his worry return with renewed strength.

"It's okay, I just...I just wished there was something we could do, you know?"

"I know," Hal replied. "But she'll be okay. I promise."

Jhonen didn't look convinced, but he did feel a bit of the worry leave his mind. He looked at Laetitia again, and brushed a lock of wavy, black hair out of her face.

"Come on, Laetitia...wake up," he whispered. "Don't give up on us now..."

"I assure you, it takes more than a mindbolt to kill me," Laetitia said weakly, and Jhonen's face lit up.

"Laetitia? Thank God you're okay!" he said and breathed a sigh of relief. "We were worried sick about you!"

"As I said, it takes more than Ryan Cretes to stop me," she said and smiled faintly.

"We know," Hal said with a wry smile.

Pheonix sat down on the bed and hugged Laetitia quickly.

"We were just worried," she explained quickly. "You were out cold for nearly twenty minutes...that's never happened before."

Laetitia smiled, touched by the girl's concern.

"I'll live. I always do, remember?"

Pheonix nodded relieved and got up from the bed, giving Laetitia a chance to look around.

"Where are the others?" she asked.

"We just wanted to make sure that nobody considered reporting us to the cops," Blade said calmly and stepped into the room followed by Jordane and Zach. "Good to see you're all right," he added with a faint smile.

Laetitia nodded slightly in reply and hid her surprise at the rare sign of concern from the man. 

"So what do we do now?" Hal asked. "We're not staying, are we?"

"No. We're leaving," Blade said. "As soon as Laetitia has gotten some rest, we're out of here."

***

"Something's wrong," Ben said concerned, and momentary stopped his healing of Ryan's wound. "Something's very wrong."

Diana carefully wiped the sweat off Ryan's brow, then looked at Ben. They were sitting in the cabin, in Ryan and Kyle's room. Kyle was in Suzuka's room, keeping an eye on the girl, since his presence seemed to calm her down a bit, and Diana had told Deirdre and West to get some sleep, since there was no use in all of them being awake. Actually, she'd given Prue the same message, but the older girl had stuck around anyway, in case anyone needed help.

"What do you mean?" Diana asked. 

Ben shook his head.

"His reaction...it's not natural. And my head feels...dizzy."

Diana looked at Ryan again, and knew that the healer was right. Something was definitely wrong. She'd used her powers to lull Ryan into a deep sleep while Ben got the bullet out, and then made sure to keep him asleep to avoid putting him through any unnecessary pain. But despite the best of her abilities, he'd remained restless - constantly tossing and turning, and even through her mental shields, Diana could feel the pain grow worse. 

"What do you think it is?" Diana asked concerned.

Ben frowned.

"I don't know. It's - it doesn't feel like a gunshot. Well, it does, but there's something more - it feels almost like...poison. It makes me dizzy. Hard to focus on anything."

"Poison?" Prue asked confused. "That doesn't make sense. How could he even have come into contact with that?"

Ben sighed and continued his healing of Ryan, slower this time as he felt the pain in his own shoulder intensify and his dizziness increase at a rapid pace.

"I don't know. But it's poison, I'm almost certain of that."

Diana felt a shiver down her spine as she heard Ben's words.

__

Poison? No!

"It's the bullet," she whispered, and the other two looked at her, confusion plain on their faces. "It's the bullet," she repeated, stronger this time. "Ryan told me about it - the tips are hollow and filled with some sort of cyanide. Blade has used it before. Even a flesh wound is lethal."

"Not if I have anything to say about that," Ben said with quiet determination, and concentrated harder on his powers.

A part of Diana wanted to stop him, to tell him to rest before he pushed himself too far, but another part of her was reluctant to interfere - right now Ben was the only person who could save Ryan, and she knew it. If he stopped too soon, Ryan might not survive, and that was a situation Diana never wanted to face. He was her everything - she couldn't lose him. Not now...not ever.

__

I'm sorry, Ben, she whispered soundlessly and closed her eyes briefly. _Forgive me._

***

Kyle paused in the doorway to his and Ryan's room. Suzuka had finally gone to sleep, and Kyle was more than a bit anxious to see how Ryan was doing. Ben was sitting next to the unconscious man, obviously working on the wound, while Diana sat next to him, probably using her powers to keep Ryan asleep. Prue hovered nearby, watching her teammates with obvious concern.

"How's he doing?" Kyle asked quietly and stepped inside the room.

Only Prue seemed to hear his question - the other two didn't react, but focused on Ryan instead.

"Not good," she sighed. "The bullet was poisoned. Ben's trying to heal him, but..." she trailed off and made a helpless gesture, and only then did Kyle notice how exhausted Ben looked.

"Ben?" he asked concerned. "Benji?"

He walked closer and put a hand on Ben's shoulder, and only then did the boy seem to notice his presence. He looked up, slightly surprised to see Kyle.

"Kyle..."

His voice sounded weaker than usual, and Kyle frowned.

"What's wrong?"

Ben shook his head.

"Nothing, I just..." he trailed off and shook his head. "I'm just a bit...dizzy. Nothing serious." A drop of sweat rolled down his temple and he raised a weak hand to dry to off. The motion caught Kyle's attention and he put a hand on Ben's forehead. 

"You're burning," he whispered. Ben tried to raise an arm to push Kyle's hand away, but the motion sent a flash of pain through his mind, and he let out a small whimper.

"Come on, Benji. You have to rest," Kyle said softly, and helped the younger healer to his feet. "You won't be able to help Ryan if you burn yourself out."

"No...I have to-" Ben's objection was cut short as he felt the world around him start to spin, and only Kyle's quick reflexes stopped his sudden fall. 

"That's it - you're getting some rest, whether you want to or not," Kyle said firmly. "You can do it voluntarily, or I can make Diana use her powers to lull you to sleep...the choice is entirely yours."

Ben sighed, but didn't resist as Kyle helped him to bed. He could barely keep his eyes open, much less focus for long enough to help Ryan, and as much as he hated to admit it, Kyle was right. Collapsing from fatigue would accomplish nothing - it would be better to get some rest, and continue the healing later.

He felt the softness of the bed beneath him and finally gave up, unable to keep the tiredness at bay any longer. He closed his eyes and was fast asleep before Kyle had even left the room.

***

Diana and Prue looked up as Kyle re-entered the room, concern obvious on their faces.

"How is he?" Prue asked.

Kyle shook his head.

"Asleep. Poor kid was completely exhausted - he pushed himself too far. Hopefully, a good night's sleep will help on that."

"And Suzuka?" Diana asked quietly.

Kyle sighed heavily and sat down.

"It's...about as bad as you could expect. Besides the cut on her cheek, and the swollen lips, she has finger-shaped bruises on her throat and biceps, and an ugly mark between her shoulder blades. The power-suppressive drugs should wear off soon, but we have no way of knowing if there'll be any side effects. And that's just the physical damage."

"God..." Diana whispered. "What did they do to her?"

It hadn't really been a question, but Kyle answered anyway.

"They did their damn best to break her, I suspect," he said quietly. 

Prue stood up and started to pace the room with angry steps.

"Why would they do that to her? She's just a kid, for crying out loud! She's seventeen, not some professional assassin!"

"Paranoia, I guess," Kyle said with a sigh. "Those people...some of them aren't exactly mentally stable. Or maybe they hoped she had some useful information...I don't know."

"They beat up a seventeen-year-old kid because they were *paranoid*?!" Prue repeated incredulously. 

"No...because Blade wanted revenge against Ryan," Diana said quietly.

Kyle and Prue looked at her.

"What do you mean?" Kyle asked. "Revenge for what? What happened?"

Diana bit her lower lip.

"I'm-it's not my story to tell, okay? I'm sorry."

Kyle opened his mouth to ask another question, but Diana shook her head.

"Listen, you two better get some rest, okay? I'll keep watch over Ryan."

Kyle wanted to argue, but something stopped him. He would hear the story eventually, and besides, she was right - they *did* need some sleep. He could always grab the couch...Diana didn't look like she wanted any company right now, anyway.

He nodded.

"All right. Just call if you need anything," he said and got up, followed by Prue. 

Diana nodded absently, and the duo left the room quietly. Kyle paused briefly in the doorway and looked at Diana as she sat on the edge of Ryan's bed, watching the unconscious man with a concerned expression on her face.

__

What are you hiding, Ryan? he wondered. _And why didn't you tell us?_

He shook his head. The answers would have to wait until Ryan had recovered.

__

*If* he recovers, a part of his mind taunted, but Kyle pointedly ignored it. Ryan would survive, he was sure of that. It would take much more than a poisoned bullet to stop him.

But the doubt kept nagging.

***


	48. 7th Interlude: Silence

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Seventh Interlude: Silence

***

It was silent.

Somehow, it amazed him. At some level he had expected a sign - a tidal wave, a meteor, something to warn people of the change that was to come.

But there was nothing.

Only silence and row upon row of wooden boxes, all sealed and arranged with an almost military precision and compulsive sense of order. Numbers - blue, green, red - all painted with the same precise movements, giving it an almost machine-like quality. Manuals and papers taped to the sides, all filled with complicated, technical terms that somehow all spelled death.

Time was running out - no one actually *said* it, but it was hard to miss. The steady increase in the number of boxes, the extra guards in the warehouse, the whole tenseness of the situation...yes, time was definitely running out.

Whether it was for himself or the muties, he wasn't sure. Both, maybe. Or neither. After all, they *had* failed to get rid of them all last time. Destruction, chaos...he hadn't been a part of it, but he knew what had taken place. He'd been a victim then, trapped in a city at war with itself. He'd watched humans fight mutants, had watched the elements themselves unleashed among bullets and explosions. He'd watched it all and made a promise to himself:

He would not be a victim again. He would not be defenseless. 

Daniel sighed and leaned against the wall. Playing guard in the warehouse was an assignment he hated - it gave him too much time to think, too much time alone with his own demons. His partner - tonight a young man, barely more than a boy - wasn't of much help either. Daniel knew his type - young, idealistic fools who believed themselves invincible. Couldn't have been along for more than a few months, half a year at the most. 

"When do you think it'll happen?"

Daniel raised an eyebrow and looked at the boy. The words had been slightly impatient, eager even, like a child who desperately wanted to go out and play soldiers with his friends. 

God, he hated rookies. 

"I don't know."

Daniel's reply was curt, indifferent, and a clear sign that he did not want to talk. The boy - calling him a man would be an insult to males around the world, Daniel decided - leaned against one of the boxes, absently playing with the rifle that hung from his shoulder.

"Don't do that!" Daniel snapped automatically. "Is the safety even on?"

The boy immediately stopped toying with the rifle, and had the decency to look away, ashamed of his actions.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

__

Don't apologize. You're a soldier - your job is to obey orders, and take your punishment when you don't. Never apologize, Daniel thought, but merely nodded.

The boy looked around the warehouse, at the boxes and the other guards that were standing around the area. His face clearly showed that he was impressed at the sheer amount of firepower in the room, and if only to himself, Daniel had to admit that he was impressed, too. He didn't doubt for a second that it had taken countless hours of painstaking preparation to come this far.

"What about the other humans?" the boy finally asked concerned. "Once the muties realize what's going on, they'll want to get even." 

__

Don't show emotions, kid. It's a weakness, don't you see? Daniel wanted to ask, but already knew the answer. The boy was still too young to have learned the painful lessons that Daniel had. Maybe later, when it was all over, the boy would have grown up, and they could talk, like one soldier to another.

Or maybe they'd both be dead. Who knew?

"It's war, and war requires sacrifices," Daniel replied coldly. "They might hate us now, but one day they will praise us for what we have done."

The younger man lit up a bit. 

__

A wannabe hero. Go figure, Daniel thought, a bit disgusted. _In it for the glory and the chance to fight, not ideologies. I'll bet you don't even have a reason hate muties, boy. You just want someone to kill, don't you?_

But he didn't say that. Despite of whatever flaws the boy might have, he was still a human, and he was against muties. That had to mean something, didn't it? 

"Praise us? Do you really think so?" the boy asked, and Daniel saw a brief flash of hopefulness on the young face.

__

It's a girl, isn't it? Daniel asked silently as the piece slowly fell into place. _It's a girl you're trying to impress._

And that motivation he could understand - he might not like it, but he could understand. He'd been young himself once, after all. 

"Yeah," he finally replied. "I think they will."

__

If the muties don't kill every last one of us, his more cynical side added with a touch of cruelty.

__

Shut up.

__

You're growing soft, Daniel. Before you know it, you'll be playing big brother to this kid. Oh, brave soldier, his mind taunted, but Daniel ignored it.

The boy nodded and looked at the boxes with a thoughtful look on his face. Daniel just sighed and returned to his brooding.

And the warehouse fell silent once more.

***

Coming up: In the dark of the night, emotions run rampant and bring several friends just a bit closer to each other...


	49. In the Midst of Confusion

*evil, evil smirk* Awwww...did the last interlude confuse my poor readers? Sorry, kiddies, but it had to be there. I'll need the FoH later on, and I have spent too much time and effort on the fic to just bring them in as a Convenient Plot Device ™. It's there. Accept it. 

We now return to our regular program.

***

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: Ageless: Going pro? Cool ^^ (and well...the interlude *was* necessary to the story, sooo...*g*). Oh, and I wrote that scene we talked about. It deserves the NC-17 rating, all right *smirk*)

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy (including the emotions Diana makes others feel through her powers)

***

Chapter Thirty-Nine: In the Midst of Confusion

***

"Do you...do you want to talk about it?" Kyle asked from his place in the chair next to Suzuka's bed. 

It if had been any other situation, Suzuka would have found the awkward expression on his face amusing, but not tonight. Instead she just sighed and looked away.

"What's to talk about?" she asked tiredly. The jaded tone in her voice made her sound far older than her years, and told better than words ever could how bad she felt.

"It helps to talk, you know," Kyle pointed out.

Suzuka didn't reply, and Kyle sighed.

"We were worried about you."

"So was I," Suzuka whispered, but didn't elaborate. 

"What do you mean?" Kyle asked, encouraging her to go on.

"They were going to kill me...she told me that," Suzuka said and stared at the wall with an empty expression on her face.

__

She?

"Nike?" Kyle guessed, and Suzuka nodded slowly.

"Yeah. She's...she's insane," the girl whispered. "Violence and pain I can handle. But she...she gets *into* your head. She talks to you, and figures out your weaknesses, and then uses them again you...and she-she *enjoys* it."

Kyle didn't reply, unsure of what to say. There were no words of comfort and no encouragement that wouldn't sound superficial and hollow. 

"She told me she'd shoot me," Suzuka continued, this time barely audibly. "She said that she would shoot me in the head, and that I wouldn't feel anything."

Kyle closed his eyes briefly.

__

Christ.

Suzuka finally turned her head to look at Kyle, and for the first time she seemed to register his presence. 

"You stopped her," she whispered, and there was something in her voice that Kyle couldn't quite decipher. "Thank you." 

Kyle nodded, feeling downright awkward. He wasn't used to talking about other people's feeling - or his own - and this whole conversation was making him a bit uncomfortable. 

Suzuka fell silent again and returned to her contemplation of the wall. Kyle remained where he was, unwilling to leave his teammate alone while she was in that condition - none of them knew how Suzuka reacted to situations like the one she'd just been through, and Kyle didn't want her to get hurt.

"Jhonen was there," Suzuka finally said quietly. There was no anger in her voice, no sadness, no fury...it unsettled Kyle. Suzuka had quite a temper, especially when it came to people who had betrayed her - the lack of emotions she now showed made Kyle more than a bit concerned.

"Jhonen?" he asked, encouraging her to go on.

"Yes...he was the one who discovered me," Suzuka continued, this time with bitterness in her voice. "He's already their little pet - he follows Nike around like a puppy."

__

Jhonen and *Nike*? Kyle thought, and felt his stomach turn at the thought of his former teammate with the Greek assassin. _That's...sick!_

"Jhonen..." he whispered and shook his head. "What are you doing?"

"Don't pity the little coward," Suzuka said bitterly, and some of her normal temper slowly started to return. "He probably planned it all along. That traitor!"

Kyle frowned, but didn't reply. If only to himself, he had to admit that he found it hard to believe that Jhonen had planned it all from the beginning - the kid had a good heart. He wouldn't have done that to them, no matter what Suzuka believed.

"Maybe he had a reason," Kyle said quietly. Yes, Jhonen had left them, but somewhere deep down Kyle still cared about the kid and wanted to give him the benefit of doubt.

It was obviously the wrong thing to say. Suzuka sat up, ignoring the pain from the wounds, and glared angrily at Kyle.

"You're defending him?! The coward betrayed us! Whose side are you on, anyway?!" she demanded furiously.

"Suzuka!" Kyle said, trying to calm her down. "I'm not defending him, I'm just saying that maybe there's more to the story than we know," he explained quickly. "Calm down before you hurt yourself."

He reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, but she instinctively flinched, and Kyle winced in sympathy. 

"It's okay...I'm not going to hurt you," he said softly.

Suzuka looked away.

"Sorry..." she whispered. "Bad memories."

Kyle sighed and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, trying to get her to lie back down. Suzuka resisted slightly, then surrendered as the pain and tiredness started to catch up with her. 

"Don't defend him, Kyle," she said quietly. "He doesn't deserve it."

"Everyone deserves the benefit of doubt," Kyle replied in the same quiet voice.

Suzuka snorted.

"Doubt? What doubt? They would have killed me, and he wouldn't have lifted a finger to save me! That's all there is to it," she said with finality.

"All right," Kyle said soothingly, unwilling to get into a fight with Suzuka. "All right."

He stretched, then got up to leave the room, but Suzuka's voice stopped him.

"Please stay?" she whispered.

Kyle was more than a bit surprised to see her more vulnerable side, but didn't show it. Instead, he sat down again and stroked her hair gently, and could actually see some of the tension leave her.

"As long as you want me to," he replied softly.

And for the first time since the failed mission, Suzuka felt safe.

***

Diana sat on the edge of Ryan bed, watching him silently. Some of the restlessness had disappeared - he didn't move around nearly as much anymore, but Diana wasn't sure if it was a good sign or not. His fever had dropped a bit, though - not much, but some - and that was something to be thankful for, at least.

Diana sighed tiredly. She hated waiting, but until Ben woke up, there was nothing else they could do. She felt Ryan move slightly, and stroked his hair, trying to calm him down a bit.

"Diana?" the voice was low and raspy, but to Diana it was the sweetest sound she'd heard in a long time.

"Yes, Ryan. I'm here," she whispered, and stroked his hair gently. "It's okay."

Ryan opened her eyes, and Diana felt her worry increase as she finally got a good look at him. She knew that the bullet wound was halfway healed - enough to stop the bleeding, but there was still an ugly bruise left underneath the bandage. It was the poison they had to worry about now - Ben had been able to take care of some of it, but it was far from enough, Diana could see that now. 

Ryan's short, black hair and deep blue eyes, combined with the effects of the poison, made him seem paler than healthy was, and his eyes were blank, unfocused.

__

Delirious, Diana realized worried.

"Diana?" he repeated, this time with a bit of concern in his voice.

"Yes, Ryan. It's going to be okay, I promise. I'm not going to leave you," she whispered soothingly. "It's okay, Ryan."

Ryan breathed a small sigh of relief, more at the sound of her voice than the words.

"I though you were..." he trailed off and shook his head with a weak motion.

__

...Dead? Wounded? Gone? Diana wondered silently. _What did you see?_

"I won't leave you, Ryan," she repeated and kissed his brow gently. "I promise."

Her voice seemed to calm him down a bit - the tension slowly left his tired body as he allowed himself to relax again. Even while poisoned and half-delirious, he still kept a firm control of himself. That worried Diana. Nobody should have to keep that firm a control over themselves when they could barely think straight. 

"And Suzuka?" Ryan whispered.

"She's safe," Diana assured him gently, deliberately leaving out the girl's mental condition. Ryan was in no shape to worry about anyone but himself.

Ryan closed his eyes, but didn't reply, and Diana sighed.

"Get some sleep, Ryan," she said softly. "You need to rest." 

__

Sleep, Ryan. You need it. Go to sleep...I'll watch over you.

Ryan's eyes snapped open, this time more alert as he forced away part of the heavy fog that clouded his mind.

"Don't use your powers on me, Diana," he said, and there was something in his voice that Diana couldn't quite identify - annoyance? Fear? Whatever it was, it wouldn't help on his condition, and Diana stroked his hair gently.

"I'm sorry," she apologized quietly. "I won't do it again."

On impulse, she leaned closer and kissed him gently, silently apologizing again. Their lips barely brushed each other, but it was enough to make Ryan tense and try to pull away.

"Don't," he pleaded, and Diana pulled a bit away, just enough to look him in the eyes.

"Why?" she asked, a bit hurt. "Am I that repulsive?"

Ryan sighed.

"Not repulsive," he whispered. "Never think that."

Diana frowned. Some part of her kept whispering that she should get up and leave the room, and let the subject lie. She pointedly ignored it, though.

"Then why, Ryan? What are you scared of?" she asked softly.

"Leave it alone, Diana," Ryan replied tiredly.

And Diana should have stopped there, she knew that. She herself had gotten less than two hours of sleep, and Ryan was half-delirious from the wound in his shoulder. She should have followed orders, and left it alone

But she couldn't. She had to know, and this was probably the best chance she'd ever get to hear the truth. 

"No," she replied, and this time there was an edge of determination to her voice. "I have to know. I don't-"

Whatever else she might have said was cut short as Ryan caught her mouth in an almost demanding kiss, and Diana froze in surprise. The kiss she'd given him had been sweet and chaste, a kiss between two friends; this was fierce, passionate, demanding, and everything but platonic.

And before Diana had the chance to respond, Ryan pulled away again with an almost challenging look on his face.

"That's why," he said hoarsely and sank down in the bed again. "Leave it alone, Diana. I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't," Diana whispered. 

Ryan just sent her a cynical smile and closed his eyes.

"Maybe not now, or tomorrow, but it will happen," he replied and felt the tiredness returned. "Find someone your own age. I'm not boyfriend material."

Diana opened her mouth to argue, but Ryan cut her off.

"Don't. I'm tired, Diana. Let me sleep," he whispered. 

Diana sighed, but nodded.

__

Sleep, Ryan. Go to sleep. Everything is going to be okay...she whispered, and this time he didn't resist. She heard his breathing become slow and steady as he finally fell into a much-needed sleep, and she caressed his cheek gently.

"Sleep well," she whispered. "I'll be here when you wake up, I promise."

And even through all the confusion and worry she felt, there was one thought that kept circling her mind.

__

He kissed me. 

***

It was maybe an hour later when Kyle heard someone in the door, and saw West watching Suzuka with a concerned expression.

"How is she?" he asked quietly.

Kyle sighed.

"She'll be okay, in time," he replied, then frowned. "Shouldn't you be asleep by now?"

West shrugged and stepped into the room.

"I woke up when Deirdre and Prue left to get some fresh air. Couldn't sleep afterwards," he explained. "I'm used to working at night, you know...old habits die hard."

"Wait, wait...they left?" Kyle asked concerned.

West just looked confused.

"Yeah. About half an hour ago...they said they needed some fresh air," he repeated, then noticed Kyle's concern. "Don't worry, Prue knows this city fairly well. She's not the type who gets into trouble."

Kyle shook his head.

"Yeah...yeah, I know. I'm just..."

"Paranoid?" West asked with a small smile.

"Yeah," Kyle admitted. 

"Well, if the Shadow Alliance wanted to attack us, they would have done so by now, wouldn't they? Besides, the obvious target would be this place, and not the bar Prue and Deirdre wandered off to," West pointed out.

Kyle frowned.

"Bar?" he repeated. "'Dre is only fifteen!"

"Don't worry, it's not a real bar," West explained with a grin. "More like a mutant-friendly diner that doubles as a bar. It's not a bad place, actually."

"Bad or not, I'd feel a lot more comfortable if they were back here," Kyle decided. "Where is this bar, anyway?"

West shrugged.

"About ten minutes drive away from here," he said. "Why? Do you think we should go there and bring them back home?"

Kyle looked at Suzuka. The girl was fast asleep, and it was unlikely that she would wake up anytime soon. Besides, it wouldn't take long to pick up the two girls and get back again - half at hour, at the most.

He nodded slowly, and got up.

"Yeah...maybe it's just paranoia, but I think it's a good idea."

West just shrugged, then followed Kyle out the door.

***

Coming up: Jhonen begins to suspect that his momentary control of Erik wasn't just a stroke of luck, and that there might be more to his powers than anyone has ever imagined...


	50. In the Midst of Motives

To Ageless, who is officially one of my new muses *eg*

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: MissNovelist: *wide, innocent eyes* Trouble? (Stop laughing, Ageless. You, too, Viva ^^)

Archangel: That's okay ^^. And yeah, there will be some all-out, uninterrupted fights at some point - several of the characters are harboring some seriously homicidal feelings towards each other, soo...*smirk*

Rascal: Well, in that case I'm afraid we'll have to push Dre's birthday just a little bit *g*. It wouldn't fit in right now...

ArticKitty: Not sure how many couples there will be, actually - I'm not even sure if both of the 'couples' in the last chapter will evolve into real relationships *g*. And yeah, there will be a couple of new characters (and the re-appearance of an old) later on, but it will take a while :)

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy (including Laetitia's use of her powers)

'...' Indicates a conversation between Jhonen and a spirit

***

Chapter Forty: In the Midst of Motives

***

Jhonen shuffled his feet, wondering how to bring up the subject of his momentary control of Erik. He was alone with Laetitia once again - once the others had made sure that she was all right, they had left to give her some privacy. Jhonen had gotten up to leave, too, but for some reason Laetitia had asked him to stay.

He stood by the door, watching a bit uneasy as Laetitia sat on the bed, taking a few minutes to regain her strength. At first he'd thought that she wanted to talk to him about something, but she had yet to open her mouth. Maybe she just wanted to be near him...

__

Yeah, right. Dream on, his conscience whispered. _She could have any man she wanted, why would she pick you?_

__

Shut up! Jhonen snapped and focused on the task at hand instead - Erik. And more importantly, Erik's fear. He wanted to talk to someone about it, and Laetitia was the person he felt most comfortable with. He didn't know the others that well yet, and besides...she understood him. 

"Laetitia?"

The woman in question looked up.

"Yes?"

Jhonen bit his lower lip, silently debating how to broach the subject. He finally settled on the most direct, if not exactly graceful way.

"He was afraid of me," Jhonen said quietly.

Laetitia's ears perked up and she sent the younger mutant an interested look. 

"Who?" 

"Erik. He was afraid of me," Jhonen repeated and shook his head in confusion. "He didn't want to tell me where you were, so I got angry and ordered him to tell me...and he did."

Her tiredness immediately forgotten, Laetitia motioned for Jhonen to sit down. The boy hesitated for a second, then sat down on the bed next to her.

"Has it ever happened before?" she asked, and the sudden intensity in her voice caught Jhonen off-guard. 

"No, I mean...he never does what I tell him to," Jhonen replied confused. "He usually only tells me something if it's to his own advantage."

Laetitia nodded slowly with a thoughtful look on her face. 

"What has Ryan told you about your powers?" she finally asked.

Jhonen shrugged.

"Not much - he's never heard of someone with my powers, so he doesn't know much about them. Just that I can talk to spirits, and I'd pretty much figured that out myself," he explained. "He told me that the best thing to do would be to work with the spirits, since he didn't think I'd be able to control them," he added. 

"And yet you just did," Laetitia mumbled with a slightly smile. 

__

You make this too easy, Ryan. 

Jhonen frowned as he realized that Laetitia was right.

"I *did* control him," he replied, almost surprised, then looked at Laetitia. "Do you think that Ryan...?"

"Lied?" Laetitia finished, and Jhonen nodded. 

"I think he did it for your sake," Laetitia explained quietly. "I think he wanted to protect you - he didn't think you were strong enough to control the spirits, so instead he just chose to say that they couldn't be controlled."

"But he still lied to me," Jhonen said angrily. "And I trusted him, damnit!"

"For your own sake, Jhonen. He just wanted to protect you," Laetitia repeated.

"Yeah, right!" Jhonen grumbled. "He doesn't care about me, he was just afraid that I might actually be able to defend myself. They always treated me like a kid just because I was the youngest of the guys."

Unseen to Jhonen, Laetitia smiled. It was almost too easy - less than three days, and the boy was already furious at Ryan. So young, so innocent...so easily controlled. She liked that.

"They're afraid of change," she explained. "They've become used to seeing you as a kid...they can't see that you've grown up."

"They will," Jhonen promised. "I guarantee you that." He paused for a moment, then sent the Greek woman a curious look. "Do you really think I can control them? The spirits, I mean?"

Laetitia frowned, then nodded slowly.

"I think that if you *want* to control them, you can. The only reason why you haven't done so before, is because Ryan advised you to be diplomatic and understand the spirits, instead of claiming control of your mind. He made you believe that it was impossible, so you never dared to try."

"I controlled Erik. I think I can do it again," Jhonen said slowly. "I want to try, but..."

"But what?" Laetitia asked softly.

Jhonen shrugged helplessly.

"I just...what if it goes wrong? I don't want to be alone in my head with an angry spirit."

Laetitia leaned closer and caressed his cheek, and Jhonen sent her a wide-eyed look.

"You don't have to be alone, Jhonen. I can help you," she whispered. "If you allow me to, I can use my powers to go inside your head and stay there while you face off with Erik." She paused, then continued in a more serious voice. "But it's risky - if you suddenly start to fight me, you could kill me."

"I thought your powers only worked when people were asleep," Jhonen replied in the same quiet voice, and Laetitia smiled slightly.

"To control someone, yes. To talk to you in your mind, you only have to be very relaxed," she replied. "But I have to be able to trust you, Jhonen. If we do this, I will be putting my life in your hands. If you start to fight me, you could drive me insane, even kill me."

"You can trust me," Jhonen replied with quiet conviction. "I won't hurt you, no matter what happens."

Laetitia smiled in return, and motioned for the boy to lie down on the bed.

"I know. Just relax and focus on controlling Erik. I'll be with you every step of the way, I promise."

Jhonen nodded. Relax and focus on Erik...he could do that. And relaxing wouldn't be a problem...he *did* feel kind of drowsy. He lay down and closed his eyes, concentration on the spirit world. He felt something, a slight brush of a mental feather at the edges of his mind as Laetitia used her powers, but it wasn't uncomfortable. More like...calming, in a way.

He took a deep breath, then breathed out slowly and let himself be transported to the spirit world. 

***

A roar of thunder tore through the air, and Jhonen spun around, ready to defend himself. Erik's personal world was almost exactly as he remembered it. The heavy thunderclouds were still there, but now they no longer just hovered in the horizon - the sky was hidden completely by the black, ominous clouds, lit up by fierce red lightning. The endless lake was there, too, with its pitch-black surface that didn't reflect but absorbed, trapping any mirror image beneath the liquid forever.

Jhonen pointedly ignored the nightmarish landscape, though. This was *his* head and *his* world now, and none of this could hurt him unless he let it.

"Laetitia?" he asked and looked around.

__

I'm here, Laetitia replied. _I can't make myself visible, but I'm here._

"Are you...okay?" he asked hesitantly. "I haven't hurt you or anything, have I?"

__

No...you didn't fight me at all, Laetitia comforted him. _Don't worry about me; find Erik instead and let's settle this._

Jhonen nodded and took a look around, but Erik was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is he?" Jhonen asked. "He knows I'm here; why is he hiding?"

__

He's afraid of you, Laetitia explained. _He's afraid of what you can do. He doesn't want to face you now - you'll have to force him out._

Jhonen nodded grimly. He'd been hearing voices from the day his powers manifested - it was about time he took control of his mind. And he would start with the spirit that had caused him most trouble of all. 

"ERIK!" he shouted, and his voice echoed through the twisted landscape. The endless lake seemed to pick up his mood, and on the black surface aggressive waves appeared, hammering against the shore.

"Quit yelling, moron. I'm not deaf," Erik sneered and appeared about thirty feet from Jhonen. He still looked the way Jhonen remembered him - angry, restless, and far older than he'd been in life. Even the dark circles under his eyes were still there.

But something had changed. Jhonen wasn't sure what, but there was something...a feeling, more than something physical. Whatever it was, though, it would have to wait. 

"What do you want?" Erik asked sourly. 

Jhonen's eyes grew cold.

"Some answers. Now."

Erik snorted.

"Not likely," he said and turned around to leave.

"Stop!" Jhonen snapped...and Erik stopped. 

Jhonen's eyes widened in surprise. He could actually *see* Erik's fight against the command, but no matter how hard the spirit tried, it was impossible to get loose.

"Let me go, damnit!" Erik growled, but Jhonen just sent him a cold smile.

"Not until I get some answers," he replied. 

Erik glared at him, but didn't reply.

__

Order him to tell you, Laetitia whispered. _Show him that *you're* in control now, and there will be nothing he can do to stop you._

Jhonen nodded slowly. He was starting to suspect that Laetitia was right - he'd stopped Erik from leaving, hadn't he? He'd stopped him with nothing more than a word, an order. *He* was in control now, not Erik.

"All right. Let's start with the beginning: Why did you look me up in the first place?" Jhonen demanded. 

"I wanted revenge, and you were the best chance of getting it," Erik replied sourly. He sounded downright angry with Jhonen, but the defiance and the stubbornness had almost disappeared. 

"And why did you keep giving me information?" Jhonen asked. 

"Because we had a deal - I helped you, you helped me, remember?" Erik snapped.

__

He's lying. He doesn't care about the deal, Laetitia whispered, and Jhonen clenched his fists. _Take control, Jhonen,_ Laetitia continued. _Show him once and for all that this is *your* mind, and that you won't tolerate any games._

Jhonen nodded and turned his attention to the spirit again.

"Liar," he said in a voice that shook from barely controlled fury. "I want the truth, Erik, and I want it now."

Erik hesitated, and Jhonen anger flared up.

"The truth! NOW!" He yelled, and a roar of thunder followed his words, making Erik pale slightly. Jhonen was in control now, and they both knew it.

"I wanted you to change sides," the spirit confessed and took a small step away from Jhonen. "I would never have gotten any revenge on the humans if you had remained with Cretes."

"And is that why you didn't warn me about their rescue-attempt before it was too late?" Jhonen demanded.

Erik sighed and his shoulder slumped in defeat.

"Yes," he admitted. "I figured that if Nike got hurt, you'd be pissed enough to turn away from Cretes for good." 

"You manipulated me!" Jhonen growled. "You little-"

"I was just trying to get even, damnit! And I did you a favor, moron - Nike is a hell of a lot better looking than any of your old teammates!" Erik snapped, but Jhonen ignored him and took a threatening step forward.

"Listen closely, Erik, because I'm only going to say this once: the rules have changed. From now on you do as I tell you to, without arguments. You will not bother me, you will not try to attack me, and you will not lie to me. Do you understand?" he said in a low voice.

"Fuck you!" Erik snapped.

There was a sudden flash of pain in Jhonen's mind as Erik tried to get loose, but to no avail. Before Erik could do any real damage, Jhonen had sent the spirit flying into a nearby rock with only a thought. Erik slowly and painfully got back on his feet and Jhonen smiled coldly.

"Do you understand?" he repeated, and the unsaid threat hung heavily in the air between them.

Erik glared at him, but Jhonen didn't back off. For an endless moment the two were locked in a battle of wills, then finally Erik looked away.

"Yeah," he mumbled. "I understand."

__

Good job, Jhonen, Laetitia praised him, and Jhonen smiled at the words. _Now, let's get out of here, shall we?_

Jhonen nodded, and felt the landscape fade away around him as he returned to the real world. 

***

Jhonen opened his eyes slowly. He could feel the beginning of a headache thanks to the concentration it had required to keep Erik under control, but he didn't care. For the first time since his powers had manifested three years ago, he was in control of his own mind. He would no longer have to listen to the random spirits that showed up in his head, would no longer have to listen to complains and pointless comments about his every action. He was in control, and he did not intend to give that up again.

At the edge of the bed Laetitia rubbed her temples, and Jhonen frowned.

"Laetitia? Are you okay?" he asked concerned.

"It's nothing," Laetitia replied in a deliberately faint voice. "A headache, nothing else. Ryan's mindbolt hit harder than I thought. Give me a few minutes, and I'll be all right again."

"He shouldn't have used that strong a bolt on you," Jhonen said angrily. "He could have killed you!"

Laetitia shrugged weakly.

"The dangers of my profession, Jhonen. I'm a walking target, even when I'm just guarding a hostage."

"It's not fair! You never asked to become a killer," Jhonen said and got up. "I wish there was something..." he paused, and Laetitia looked up with a sudden intensity in her dark eyes.

"Yes?" she said, encouraging him to go on.

Jhonen sighed.

"I just...for a moment I wanted to get even," he confessed.

"It would be impossible to get even when they're together," Laetitia pointed out. "And we don't know when they're split up in smaller groups."

"Bu I do," Jhonen replied, a certain eagerness creeping into his voice. "Now that I can control Erik, I can make him tell me if any of them are alone!"

"But they're your old teammates, Jhonen," Laetitia said gently. "Would you betray them...for me?"

"They think I'm a traitor, anyway," Jhonen replied angrily. "And Ryan lied to me - about you, and about my powers. They don't deserve my loyalty; they never did."

Laetitia smiled, not the cold, slightly arrogant smile most people saw, but a smile of genuine warmth, and Jhonen found himself smiling back.

"Thank you," Laetitia said softly, and Jhonen nodded in reply, a bit proud that he could make her smile like that.

He took a moment to clear his thoughts, then took a deep breath and closed his eyes, searching for Erik's presence in his mind.

'Erik!' he snapped. He could feel the headache flare up, but ignored it. He could feel sorry for himself later; right now they had more important things to think about.

'Yes?' Erik replied, and although there was a hint of anger in his voice, it was obvious that his defiance had been broken.

'Where're the Guardians?' Jhonen asked, and Erik snorted.

'In the cabin they've rented, moron,' he replied. 

'*All* of them?' Jhonen demanded, and Erik hesitated.

'Well?' Jhonen asked, and let a bit of his anger show.

'No,' Erik replied sourly. 'Two of them are on their way to a bar downtown.'

'Who?'

'Prue and Deirdre. Now leave me the fuck alone!' Erik snapped.

'Don't go too far away,' Jhonen replied with a hint of malice. 'I'll need you later on to show me where the bar is.'

'Asshole!' Erik sneered, but it was only a symbolic resistance. There was nothing he could do to stop Jhonen now, and they both knew that. 

Jhonen just smirked slightly and dismissed Erik with a thought. Much as he hated to admit it, control felt *good*. He'd spend too many years following the whims of others, and the power he had suddenly been given was a welcomed change. 

And *this* was what Ryan has been keeping from him...?

Jhonen clenched his fists at the memory of his former leader. He'd trusted him, damnit! He'd trusted him, and what had the result been? Nothing but lies and betrayal.

"Jhonen?" Laetitia asked, and Jhonen looked at her.

"It worked," he finally said. "Erik told me."

"Told you what?" Laetitia asked, and a hint of curiosity crept into her voice.

"The Guardians...Prue and Deirdre are on their way to a bar downtown, alone," Jhonen told her. "I ordered Erik to tell me...and he did."

Laetitia smiled coldly, and this time there was no warmth or mercy in her eyes. 

"Alone, you said? And you can find that bar?"

Jhonen nodded.

"Yeah. What are we going to do?" he asked. He knew that what he'd done was wrong, but somehow he'd stopped caring. There was no way the Guardians would ever understand his decision, and if they were determined to think the worst of him, well, then he might as well go all the way.

Laetitia smirked slightly.

"We are going to find Blade and Jordane, and then the four of us are going to have a chat with a couple of Guardians."

***

Coming up: What's going to happen to Deirdre and Prue? And will Kyle and West show up in time to save them? Tune in next time *g*


	51. Descend into Darkness

****

Note 1: I think this one will require a bit of an explanation. This chapter actually exists in two versions - up until the point where the characters enter the alley, the versions are exactly the same. After that, the chapter splits up in two - the first part is this one that will be kept at the R-rating like the rest of the fic. 

The chapter with the second part is uploaded on another page (sorciere.freeservers.com / alter41.html). *That* version will be rated NC-17 for graphic violence, disturbing subjects, and sexual situations. No, not explicit sex, but sexual situations. And no, I'm not kidding about that rating - it starts with disturbing and goes downhill from there.

Note that the versions will tell the *exact* same story, just from different points of view. After this, we will go back to one version again. 

The reason for doing two versions? The graphic one is actually the first I wrote (and thus the longest), but I *do* realize that I have some younger and more sensitive people among my audience, and that they might not want to be dragged through the darker parts of my twisted head. So the NC-17 one is 'canon' while this one is for those who aren't used to real darkfic. Have fun *g*

****

Note 2: You may or may not like this plot development, but I felt it had to be there. To those who think I'm too hard on the Guardians, I'll more than make up for that later. I promise you that.

***

To Ageless, for helping me come up with the idea for this chapter, to VivaGlam, for cheering me on, and to the readers and reviewers for sticking with me this far. This fic is already longer than I ever expected it to be, and we're nowhere near done yet O.o...

J.DeLuca: Yup, she agreed :) I think I owe her a favor or something to make up for *this* chapter *g*

WritingMoose: Not evil, just under some bad influence *g*. Hmm...maybe he can, maybe he can't - either way it will take a while before he's ready to experiment any further with his powers. 

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Forty-One: Descend into Darkness

(NC-17 version: sorciere.freeservers.com / alter41.html)

***

The diner was actually rather cozy. It was far from the best place Deirdre had ever been, but with the diner downstairs and the bar on the first floor, it *did* have a charm of its own.

"Do you come here often?" Deirdre asked curiously and took a sip of her cola.

Prue smiled, a bit wistfully. 

"Used to...before I got caught by the cops. A lot of mutants in this area uses this diner as a meeting place," she explained.

"Oh..." Deirdre replied. "What about the police - don't they know about this place?"

Prue shrugged.

"Probably, yeah, but I guess they've got bigger fish to fry than harmless mutants who just want something to eat."

"Let's hope it remains that way," Deirdre said softly, and the subject was dropped.

***

"That's the place," Jhonen said and nodded towards a bar across the street. 

The combined diner and bar Erik had guided them to was located between a nightclub and a large complex of apartments, both of which badly needed a paintjob. The area wasn't that bad, actually - certainly not high class by any standard, but not as bad as it could be. Badly lit, though, since most of the streetlights didn't work, but it didn't matter. 

"The alley..." Laetitia said quietly, and motioned towards a dark alley between the bar and the nightclub - narrow, deep, and with no streetlights. It would be almost impossible to see anything in that alley from the street, and she knew it. 

Blade nodded thoughtfully.

"Not a bad idea," he replied.

Jhonen frowned, feeling a bit confused, but decided not to ask. Whatever his teammates were planning, he'd probably find out soon enough. They'd parked the car nearby, a bit away from prying eyes, and then walked the rest of the way - that alone told Jhonen that they were up to *something*, but he had no idea what. He didn't want to ask Erik, either. First of all the concentration needed to control him would give Jhonen a headache, and secondly...these people were his new team. He was supposed to trust them, wasn't he?

"Nike? Do you think you can control both of them?" Blade asked, and Laetitia shook her head.

"No, only one of them. My head still hurts too much to concentrate on too many people at a time."

"Pick Deirdre, then," Blade decided. "Prue needs to touch the ground to use her power, right?" he asked, directed at Jhonen.

"Yeah, and she can only use them on the ground, not on walls," the boy supplied. 

Blade nodded.

"Good. Shouldn't take much to keep her under control, then. Let's go."

***

The doors to the diner opened, letting in four people, but between the jukebox music, the food, the chatter, and the noise from the bar upstairs, no one really noticed the four new guests...least of all the two girls who were absorbed in their own conversation. 

"There - in the corner," Jordane said quietly and motioned towards a booth a bit removed from the busiest parts of the diner. 

The group split up, Blade and Jordane taking a small detour to approach the two Guardians from one side, while Jhonen and Laetitia continued towards the booth. Laetitia stopped just out of sight, and motioned for Jhonen to walk up to the duo.

The boy felt his determination weaken, but continued nonetheless. He would go through with this, no doubt about that.

"Is this seat taken?" Jhonen asked as he reached the table.

The two girls looked up, their eyes wide with recognition.

"Jhonen?!" Deirdre exclaimed, but as quickly as her surprise had come, it disappeared and left behind a healthy sense of caution. "What are you doing here?" she demanded with a hint of anger in her voice. 

"Looking for you, actually," Jhonen replied quietly. "Hello, 'Dre."

Deirdre scrambled to her feet and hurried out of the booth, followed by Prue. She raised her hands slightly, ready to defend herself. Part of her knew that there was a real risk that the Shadow Alliance would be around somewhere, but another part of her still refused to think that about Jhonen - he had been a good friend, and a loyal teammate. He wouldn't turn on them like this. 

"What do you mean?" Deirdre demanded, a bit harsher than she'd intended. She had to know, though - it never hurt to be on the safe side, especially not in situations like this. 

"I thought the words were easy enough to understand," a new voice said.

Deirdre spun around, and found herself face-to-face with Laetitia. She raised her hands to blind the woman, but it was already too late. Before she could finish the motion, Laetitia had taken control of her mind, efficiently cutting off any chance to escape.

Prue took a step back and opened her mouth to call for help, but froze as she felt a strong arm around her waist, combined with the sharp edge of a knife against her side.

"You're staying right here," Blade said coldly, deliberately keeping his voice low.

Prue felt a rush of adrenaline and prepared to tear herself free of his grasp, but she'd barely formed the thought before the pressure on the knife increased just enough to pierce her skin.

"Don't even think about it, girl. You'll be dead before you can lift a finger," Blade warned quietly, but Prue didn't doubt the truth of his words.

"What do you want with us?" she asked, somehow managing to keep her voice steady.

The only reply she got was a cold smile from Laetitia, and Prue suppressed a shiver. 

"Whatever you're planning, you won't get away it," she said quietly. "The others know we're here - someone will come for us."

Blade raised an eyebrow.

"Let them," he replied indifferently.

"Somebody will notice something is wrong," Prue said and felt the first hints of desperation enter her body. "You can't just drag us out of here - somebody will get suspicious."

Blade smirked.

"You really don't get it, do you? This is Chicago - nobody cares what happens to two little muties who run around downtown after midnight," he added with a touch of cruelty in his voice. 

"You can't-" Prue started, but was interrupted by one of the waitresses.

"It everything all right?" the woman asked and sent the group a concerned look. "Your friend doesn't look too good," she added and nodded towards Deirdre.

Blade tightened his hold on Prue, silently warning her not to try anything, and Jordane smiled comfortingly at the waitress.

"Sure, she just had a bit too much to drink. We told her to stay away from the booze, but she didn't listen," she explained with a helpless shrug. "I don't even know how she got that drink," she continued, almost apologetically. "Someone must have bought it for her, I guess."

The waitress smiled, reassured by the words.

"Don't worry, hon, we all go through that at least once. Make her drink two glasses of water before she goes to bed, and the hangover will be a bit easier to handle."

Jordane grinned.

"I'll remember that," she said. "Thanks."

The waitress returned to her customers, and Blade removed a bit of pressure from the knife he held against Prue's side.

"As I said...nobody will care about you," he repeated. "Let's go," he ordered, and Prue had no choice but to do as she was told. 

Laetitia whispered something in Deirdre's ear, and the girl nodded with a blank expression on her face, a clear sign that she was well under Laetitia's control. Deirdre took a step forward and headed out of the diner, guided by Laetitia. Blade sent Jordane a look, and the girl nodded and fell into line a few steps behind him and Prue, efficiently ruining any chance of escape. 

Jhonen only hesitated for a second, then followed them outside.

***

Deirdre wanted to scream; to open her mouth and scream as loud as she could to alert someone - anyone - about the danger. But no matter how hard she tried, her body did not react. She could hear Nike's whispered order to walk out of the diner, could feel herself nod in reply and take a step forward, but no matter how hard she fought, she couldn't break free of Nike's powers. She was a prisoner in her own body, and she didn't like it one bit.

What hurt most wasn't Laetitia's control of her, though, but Jhonen's betrayal. She'd trusted him, damnit! They had been friends, teammates, and he'd turned on them just like that. And not only that - he'd led the Shadow Alliance to her and Prue when they would be most vulnerable. That hadn't been an accidental encounter - that had been cold, calculated betrayal.

Deirdre sighed mentally. She couldn't even turn her head and see if Prue was still there - Nike's powers had taken control of her mind with chilling efficiency, and ruthlessly crushed all of Deirdre's attempts to fight back.

They walked into the dark alley, and out of the corner of her eye Deirdre saw Blade let go of Prue and give her a push to force her onwards. The older girl responded immediately, dropping to one knee and planting her hand on the ground. But before she had the chance to use her powers, Blade fired a shot into the ground in front of her, and Prue withdrew her hands with a shocked expression on her face.

"Don't try that again - a bullet is a lot faster than your powers," Blade said, almost tiredly, and Prue slowly got back on her feet while watching her captor with a wary look. 

"A few more steps," Laetitia whispered, and again Deirdre felt her body move and walk a bit further into the alley, before turning around to face the others.

"What do you want with us?" Prue demanded.

Laetitia raised an eyebrow, and for a brief second Deirdre felt her control slip. Gathering all her strength she fought against the mental restrains, but the only result was a brief, vaguely amused look from Laetitia.

__

Don't try that again - we both know I'm the stronger of us, the Greek woman whispered in Deirdre's mind, and the girl sent her a hateful look. Laetitia pointedly ignored it and focused on Prue instead.

"Shouldn't that be obvious?" she asked and arched an eyebrow. "You and the rest of the Guardians attacked us completely unprovoked. We do not intend to let that pass."

"Unprovoked?!" Prue repeated disbelieving. "You people kidnapped Suzuka! We had every right to attack you!"

__

Don't provoke them, please don't provoke them, Deirdre pleaded mentally. She was well aware that their future wellbeing depended completely on Blade, and angering him would only serve to make their situation worse.

Laetitia merely snorted, though, and then sent Blade a questioningly look. The man's eyes narrowed and Deirdre felt a shiver run down her spine. Blade was obvious planning something, and whatever it was, it would definitely be bad news for the Guardians. 

Finally the man moved, taking a step closer to Jordane and wrapped his arm around her waist with the intimacy of a lover.

"Let's kill one of them," he whispered, and even through the hollow music from the nightclub the words still managed to reach Deirdre's ears, burning themselves into her mind forever. "Pick one, my Queen."

__

NO! Deirdre wanted to scream, but found herself helpless. _Let go of me, damnit!_ she cursed and struggled to get free of Laetitia's grasp, but the woman just sent her a cold smile.

__

No. And if I were you, I would pay attention - your life is on the line here, she replied with a touch of cruelty, and Deirdre realized that she was right. One look at Laetitia told clearer than words ever could that she wanted to get even, and that only blood would satisfy her thirst for revenge. 

Deirdre wanted to run, to fight, to do *something* - anything - but could only watch horrified as Blade caressed Jordane's arms, waiting for her verdict.

"Prue...kill Prue," Jordane finally managed to say, and Blade stopped with the caressing movements.

__

NO!

Deirdre could only watch helplessly as Prue took a step back, her eyes wide with fear. Laetitia moved closer, eager to get the chance to get even with Ryan, and Blade smiled coldly.

"She's all yours, Nike. Take your revenge," he said, and let his hand rest lightly on Jordane's hips.

Deirdre saw Laetitia back Prue against the wall and was vaguely aware that Blade and Jordane were talking, but she ignored it - she had to get free, and it had to be now. She could feel Laetitia's control slip just a bit as the strain of having to control another person started to wear down her already reduced strength. She wouldn't get a better chance, and she knew it.

Slowly but steadily Deirdre began to gather her strength, trying not to alert Laetitia to her intentions. The woman didn't seem to sense anything, though - her attention was completely on Prue, who watched the Greek assassin with a fearful look on her face.

__

Just a little more...

Laetitia smirked and slowly, ever so slowly, drew the knife that hung in her belt. Her intentions were obvious, and Deirdre felt a rush of adrenaline course through the body, giving her the last bit of strength she needed.

One last, draining struggle, and she was free of Laetitia's control. Deirdre reacted immediately, raising her hands to blind the woman, but in her haste she'd forgotten one very important thing.

"No!"

__

Jhonen!

The sudden, desperate cry was the only warning Laetitia needed. She spun around and Deirdre felt a sharp pain as Laetitia kicked her, forcing her to the ground. She tried to get up, but Laetitia was already several steps ahead of her. Deirdre felt a sudden pain as Laetitia hit her in the temples with the handle of the knife-

-And then there was only darkness.

***


	52. Through the Valley of Shadow and Death

__

*Sorcieré staggers on stage, looking quite hungover, while ignoring the amused looks from Fortune, her pain-in-the-ass muse.*

All right. Sit down, everyone, and let auntie Sorcieré have a word with you. No, it's not bad news, don't worry. Am I going to-? No, I'm not going to kill anyone else right now, so sit down, Ageless! ;)

__

*Glares at Ageless, but quickly looks away after Ageless' muse starts to flex its claws*

Violent little thing, are we? Anyway...after having discussed the future plotline with Rune and Ageless, almost the entire fic has been planned out, up until a few chapters from the end. From what I can see, there is somewhere between 25-40 chapters left, give or take a few. Yes, I know that seems like a lot, and trust me, I'd never intended for the fic to get this long, but these characters have a story to tell, and apparently they don't intend to let me go until I've written said story for them. 

Luckily my summer holidays just started, giving me plenty of time to write (when I'm not trying to fit all my stuff into my new apartment *cough*). Anyway, I don't intend give up on this fic, and hopefully, you won't, either ^^

__

*Sorcieré staggers off stage again, mumbling something very unflattering about muses, Bacardi, graduation, and life in general*

A/N 1: To SilentPegasus and anyone else who might be interesting in some fighting and violence: VivaGlam, bless her dark soul *g*, has written a fight between Suzuka and Laetitia. It doesn't fit into the storyline, but it's good, and it would be a shame to just leave it on the harddrive ^^. The address is: http://www.dreamwater.net/madhouze/showdown.html

A/N 2: MissNovelist: I'm not sure if there will be other chapters that come in two versions. This was kind of a special case, sooo...^^

Archangel: If you're sadistic for liking it, what does it make me for thinking up and writing the graphic version in the first place? ;)

Sabrin: You're welcome - I see the two versions of the same scene as kind of a writing exercise, anyway *g*

WritingMoose: Zach, Hal, Aaron, and Pheonix have no idea where their teammates wandered off to - they just know that they headed downtown. And sure, the Shadow Alliance seems unstoppable...until one of their core-members die later on. Oops - did I say that out loud? Sorry. My bad *smirk*

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Forty-Two: Through the Valley of Shadow and Death

***

As West had said, it only took about ten minutes to drive to the diner, and that was something Kyle was thankful for. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but he liked to know where all of his teammates were...just in case. 

Kyle parked the car near the diner and got out, followed by West. The girls had left a note saying that they'd taken a cab, and Kyle really couldn't blame them - the many illegal cab services were a cheap way to get around, and it also saved them the trouble of finding a parking space. 

Inside the diner the atmosphere was more chaotic than Kyle had imagined, and he frowned. Finding two teenage girls in this place probably wouldn't be easy. He shook his head, then looked at West and motioned towards the left part of the diner.

"You take that side, I'll take this. We'll meet back here, okay?"

West nodded and disappeared among the crowd, leaving Kyle alone to find his two teammates. His search proved fruitless, though. Deirdre and Prue were nowhere to be found, and Kyle made his way back to the entrance, only to find West waiting for him - alone. 

"You didn't find them?" Kyle asked, starting to feel a bit worried.

West shook his head. 

"No. I even took a look in the bar, and they weren't there, either." 

__

They wouldn't have left, not this fast, Kyle decided. _Something's wrong. We have to find them._

"Let's talk to the waitresses and see if any of them remembers where the girls went."

West frowned.

"Do you think something's wrong?"

"Not really," Kyle said, bending the truth a bit. He didn't want to make West worried because of something that was most likely nothing but paranoia. "Let's go," he suggested, motioning towards one of the waitresses. He didn't add how small a chance there were that one of the employees would actually remember two ordinary girls among all the customers. 

***

Five minutes and several waitresses later, Kyle was starting to get more than a bit worried. Nobody remembered seeing Deirdre and Prue anywhere, and by now even West seemed slightly nervous. 

"Am I the only one who has a bad feeling about this?" the boy asked, and there was none of his usual humor in the words.

Kyle sighed.

"There can be a dozen reasons why they're not here, okay? Maybe they picked someplace else, or left right before we arrived. We have no reason to suspect the worst." West opened his mouth, obviously to argue with Kyle, but the older mutant stopped him. "There's another waitress over there. Let's ask her," he said, and the words were more of an order than a suggestion. 

West hesitated, then sighed.

"Sure," he mumbled and let Kyle lead the way across the room, to one of the corners where a waitress was cleaning one of the tables.

"Excuse me?" Kyle asked. 

The woman looked up.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"We're looking for two of our friends - they were supposed to be down here, but we can't find them, and I wondered if you'd seen them. One of them is fifteen, with short, black hair, and she's about this tall," Kyle explained, indicating Deirdre's height with his hand. "The other is nineteen, with long, blonde hair, and she's a bit shorter. I think they arrived about forty minutes ago," he added, checking his watch. 

The waitress nodded absently and continued to clean the table.

"Sure, they left with some friends about twenty minutes ago, I think. Didn't look too good, the youngest girl - cute kid, but she'd gotten a bit too much to drink," the woman explained. "She'll probably wake up with a bad hangover."

Kyle felt a shiver run down his spine as he started to get a horrible suspicion.

__

Friends?

"What did those friends look like?" he asked warily. 

The waitress finally paused and frowned as she tried to recall her previous customers. 

"One of the girls had blue hair," she finally said slowly. "The other looked Italian, I think. Or Greek. Never could tell the difference between those two," she added with a shrug, then continued to clean the tables. "There were a couple of guys, too, but I don't really remember how they looked."

__

Fuck!

"Thank you," Kyle managed to choke out, then hurried towards the door, followed by a bewildered West.

"What's wrong?" the younger boy asked, trying to keep up with Kyle.

Kyle tore open the door and hurried outside, taking a frantic look around.

__

They wouldn't go towards the apartments - too many people. But the alley...

"That waitress just described Melee and Nike, two of the members of the Shadow Alliance," he explained and motioned for West to follow him. "Dre and Prue are in serious trouble."

"What?!" West demanded. "But how did they know-"

"Let's find them first," Kyle interrupted. "The questions can wait until later," he said and ran down to the alley, charging up his powers to fend off a possible attack. 

"'Dre?!" he called, but there was no reply. "Deirdre!"

A motionless but familiar shape a bit into the alley caught Kyle's attention, and he felt a chill run down his spine. 

__

No...

Kyle took a step towards Deirdre, and saw another shape further into the alley, hidden among the shadows. Behind him he heard West arrive, and he made a quick decision. Deirdre was still breathing, he could see that. Checking on Prue would be first priority, then...if it even *was* her. The shadows made it impossible to see anything. 

"Check on 'Dre," Kyle told West and continued to the unmoving shape that lay further into the alley. One of the trashcans partially blocked his view, and he felt a flicker of annoyance through his nervousness. 

__

That trashcan hides the body complete for anyone who just passes by the alley, Kyle realized, and felt a growing feeling of unease. But that was just a coincidence, wasn't it? It had to be - Deirdre hadn't been hidden from view, then why should Prue?

A few more steps and he could see past the trashcan that had blocked his vision. "Prue?" he asked hesitantly. No reply, and the bad feeling grew worse. He quickly moved the trashcan to let some light into the dark alley, and-

-The ground was red....a dark, liquid red, almost black in appearance, and it took less than a second for Kyle to see what had happened. 

__

Oh, God...

Instinctively, he almost kneeled to check for a pulse, but the more logical part of his mind stopped him. It would be of no use - it was already too late. A deep cut through the throat, severing the windpipe...nobody could survive that. 

"Kyle!" 

West's voice tore through the air, making Kyle flinch slightly. It felt almost...wrong...to hear someone talk in a place where-

__

No...

"Kyle?" West repeated, this time questioningly. Kyle didn't react, and the younger mutant continued. "Dre is okay...she's unconscious, but I can't see any serious injuries. What about Prue?"

__

She's...

"Kyle?" West moved closer to see what was going on, but Kyle held up a hand, finally snapping out of his state of shock.

"Don't," he said in a hoarse voice. 

West stopped, torn between worry and confusion. He wanted to see what had happened, but the look on Kyle's face...something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong.

"Kyle? What's-?"

"She's dead," Kyle whispered. "There's nothing we can do."

West paled and his eyes widened with shock.

"Dead? But she can't-" West shook his head. "You're wrong, she's not dead!" he denied, almost angrily, and moved closer. 

Kyle sighed in defeat and let the boy pass. There was nothing he could do, and he knew it. West took a step closer - and froze dead in his tracks. 

"Prue?" he whispered, and slowly sank to his knees. "Prue?" he repeated, louder this time, and Kyle lowered his eyes in silent sympathy. 

West reached out and brushed a lock of blonde, red-stained hair out of the pale face with infinitely gentleness. 

"Prue..." he pleaded anguished. "Come on, wake up. Please wake up!"

"West..." Kyle began, and reached out to put his hand on the boy's shoulder, but West pushed it away with an angry movement.

"No!" he snapped, and Kyle could see the tears form in his eyes. "No..." he repeated, and the first tear rolled down his face and fell to the ground, mixing with the blood. 

"West...I'm sorry," Kyle tried again, but there was no reaction from the boy, only quiet sobbing as he watched the lifeless body of his friend, for the first time really realizing what had happened. 

__

I'm sorry, Kyle repeated silently, and felt his own eyes burn with unshed tears. He'd seen death before, and hated it. Nobody, least of all a seventeen-year-old boy like West, should ever have to see something like this. 

Kyle took a step away to give West some time alone, and headed towards Deirdre's unconscious body. He reached down to pick her up and-

-A scream pierced the air, making Kyle spin around. At the end of the alley, beside an open back door that led to the nightclub, a young woman clutched her shocked boyfriend tightly while sending the bloody ground a horrified look.

__

Damn! Kyle thought, and unconsciously took a step forward and held up his hands, trying to calm down the couple. 

It was obviously the wrong thing to do. The man snapped out of his shocked state, and quickly pushed his girlfriend back inside the club, then hurried after her and slammed the door behind them. 

__

No! 

Kyle wasn't stupid - he knew that it wouldn't be long before the police cars would arrive, alerted by the couple. And if he, West, and Deirdre should have any chance of surviving, they would have to be far away by then.

"West, get up! We have to leave!" Kyle ordered and hurried to the boy's side. His voice was harsher than he'd intended, but he didn't have a choice - they had to get out of there, and they had to do it fast. And no matter how much it pained Kyle, they would have to leave Prue's body behind - they would already be pressed for time since they had to carry Deirdre to the car. 

West looked up with eyes red of tears, and Kyle felt like a bastard for speaking to the boy like that.

"But what about...?." West finally whispered and looked at the body of his lifeless friend, unable to finish the sentence.

"We have to leave!" Kyle repeated. "If we get questioned by the cops, they'll take a DNA test and find out that we're mutants."

West still didn't react, and Kyle could feel the seconds slip away, bringing the police closer and closer.

"If they discover us, they will send us to the camps, do you understand that?!" Kyle snapped. "Do you want that to happen? Do you think Prue would have wanted that to happen??"

Prue's name, combined with the threat of being discovered seemed to register in West's mind, and the boy slowly stood up and took a step away from the body. Another step, and Kyle was mentally begging his teammate to hurry up.

"I'm sorry..." West whispered to the lifeless girl, then spun around, afraid to look back.

He helped Kyle carry the still-unconscious Deirdre into the car, then quickly got into the backseat. He'd barely closed the door before Kyle started the car and sped away from the diner. They drove around a corner, obviously in the nick of time. The flashing light of a police car was reflected in the windows across the street, then intensified as another car joined it. West closed his eyes and leaned back in the seat. He'd left Prue behind; left her alone to face whatever fate awaited her in the hands of the police. They should have brought her along - she was a friend, and you didn't leave friends behind.

He sighed, trying to ignore the nagging feeling of guilt. 

__

I'm sorry, Prue, he whispered in his mind, irrationally hoping that she would somehow find a way to contact him, to tell him that everything would be okay.

But the only reply he got was an accusing silence. 

***


	53. A Time for Comfort

We just reached the 100.000 words mark. Heh ^^. And now that ff.net's review function actually works again, I might even get some reviews this time *g* (what? I didn't think it was nice to let you wait for a new chapter just because the review-button didn't work, you know.)

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net. Don't worry, I don't bite *smirk* 

A/N 2: Ageless: Chica, need I remind you that a good part of the inspiration for that alley-scene came from you? *smirk*. Just wait...I'll bring you back on the right side again, and this time for good ;)

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Forty-Three: A Time for Comfort

***

The drive back had felt painfully long to Kyle - every siren, every flashing light had send his nervousness into overdrive, keeping him on constant alert. To make things worse Deirdre had regained consciousness only minutes after they'd left the alley, and had now slipped into a shock-like state. West had been crying silently by the time they'd reached the cabin, his eyes red and swollen, and Kyle had helped the two teenagers into one of the rooms, hoping that they might be able to get some rest.

Then he'd left in search of Diana - Ryan and Ben were in no condition to do anything just now, and Suzuka had enough in her own bad memories. That left him and Diana to comfort to their two teammates, and he himself had never been good at dealing with emotions - his own, or others'. 

As he'd expected, he found Diana in Ryan's room, watching over the man. Kyle stopped in the doorway, observing his two teammates silently. Diana was sitting on the edge of Ryan's bed, watching the sleeping man with a concerned expression, oblivious to the fact that she was being watched. She looked tired, though, and Kyle really couldn't blame her. He didn't know how much sleep she'd gotten recently, but it couldn't have been much. 

But despite the tiredness in her eyes, the scene still looked remarkably peaceful, and Kyle wished that he didn't have to ruin it by bringing bad news. He took a moment to strengthen his mental shields to spare Diana the ordeal of having to feel his grief and misery, then stepped into the room.

"Kyle?" Diana looked up questioningly, noticing his presence for the first time. Kyle nodded tiredly, and Diana frowned as she saw his weary expression. 

Kyle offered no explanation, though, but merely motioned for her to join him in the hallway. Diana sent him a worried look, but got up and followed her teammate out of the room. 

"Kyle? What's wrong?" she asked, but Kyle just shook his head and closed the door to the room. 

"Deirdre and Prue...went downtown to get something to eat and get away from it all," he began, a bit hesitant. 

Diana frowned.

"Did anything happen to them?" she asked worried.

Kyle sighed.

"They...I don't know how it happened, but they had a run-in with the Shadow Alliance. We found Deirdre unconscious, but otherwise unharmed, but..." he trailed off.

"What about Prue?" Diana asked, a sense of dread entering her body. Kyle's expression, the faint hum of his emotions that resided just beyond her mental shields...something was wrong. "Is she okay? What happened?"

Kyle closed his eyes.

"She's...it was already too late. They'd...there was nothing we could do, they..."

"Kyle? What happened?" Diana repeated. 

"She's dead," Kyle whispered. "They killed her."

Diana's eyes widened in shock.

"No..." she denied. She didn't want to believe him, desperately wanted to dismiss it as a cruel joke, but the look on Kyle's face...

"It wasn't even a real fight, Diana," Kyle continued in a voice shaking from suppressed emotions. "It was cold-blooded murder...they didn't even give her a chance." 

A wave of sadness, anger, and disbelief engulfed Diana's mind as Kyle's mental shields finally broke down, revealing the true pain he felt. Diana felt her eyes burn with unshed tears, then hugged Kyle tightly, longing for a safe harbor in the hurricane of emotions. Kyle didn't hesitate but hugged her back, just as desperate as she was for something to comfort him, someone to say that it was all a bad dream, and that everything would be okay. 

Kyle could feel Diana tremble in his arm, and then her tears soaking through the fabric of his shirt. He held her closer, drawing on the comfort of their friendship, just like she did. Finally he felt the tears subside, and the trembling stop, and Diana looked up and dried her eyes.

"Does West...?" she asked hesitantly. She didn't need to finish the sentence; they were both well aware of what she meant.

Kyle sighed and let go of Diana, almost regretfully.

"Yeah...he was with me downtown when we discovered it. He's with Deirdre right now. He's not...he's taking it pretty bad, and the same thing is the case with Deirdre," he admitted. "I was hoping..."

Diana sighed, then nodded. Her two teammates needed someone to comfort them, and while Diana felt far from ready to do that, she knew that she would be able to handle it better than Kyle. 

"I'll talk to them...and see what I can do," she replied. "I can't promise anything, but I'll give it a try."

Kyle smiled weakly.

"Thank you." He paused, then continued. "How's Ryan doing?"

Diana made a small, helpless gesture.

"I'm not sure. His fever is down a bit, but his temperature is still high. When he woke up earlier, he was delirious, but he fell asleep again. Hopefully Ben will be able to help when he's regained his strength," she replied, then paused. "What about Suzuka?"

"She's starting to act like herself," Kyle said. "I don't think she's anywhere near over her ordeal yet, but I think she's starting to deal with it her own way. She'll be alright...in time."

Diana nodded.

"That's good news, at least," she admitted. "Could you keep an eye on Ryan for me? I'll-I'll go talk to West and Deirdre."

Kyle nodded and headed into the room, then pulled out a chair and sat down heavily next to the bed. He could hear Diana walk down the hallway and sighed softly, thankful that he didn't have Diana's powers. Unused to dealing with emotions as he was, comforting West and Deirdre was the last thing he was ready to do. 

__

So you put that burden on the shoulders of a sixteen-year-old girl instead, his conscience remarked nastily, and Kyle winced imperceptibly.

__

Shut up! he ordered with more confidence than he felt. _She's the one who's best suited for something like this - she can comfort them better than I ever could._

__

Sure, his conscience mocked, but Kyle pointed ignored it. He'd made the best decision he could during the given circumstances, he knew that.

But the guilt still lingered.

***

Diana paused in the doorway, silently watching the two people in the room. She wasn't surprised to find that West was already asleep in one of the beds, his eyes red and swollen from crying. Despite what Kyle thought, it was limited how long you could cry before you feel asleep from the exhaustion. Diana had been fairly certain that West would already be asleep - her main priority right now would be Deirdre.

Diana stepped into the room and silently made her way to Deirdre's bed.

"'Dre?" she asked softly and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Deirdre?"

The girl moved slightly and opened her eyes. Like West's, they were red from crying and Diana could feel the sadness radiate in heavy waves from the younger mutant. 

"Diana?"

The reply was faint; barely a whisper, but Diana nodded and forced herself to smile comfortingly. 

"Yes, it's me. You're home now...you're safe."

Deirdre sat up weakly, pulling the blankets around her body.

"It doesn't feel safe," she replied bitterly.

Diana winced slightly, but forced herself not to argue with the harsh statement. Deirdre needed her support now, not an argument. The girl had just seen her friend get killed...no wonder she didn't feel safe. 

Deirdre fell silent, and Diana realized that she would have to make the first move. Deirdre needed to talk about what had happened, get it out of her system, but she obviously wasn't going to do it without someone asking her to.

"Tell me what happened," Diana said softly, but Deirdre didn't reply. "'Dre, it helps to talk...it's not easy, I know, but it'll help, I promise," she continued with as much conviction as she could muster. 

"They killed her...what else is left to say?" Deirdre replied bitterly and hugged the covers closer like a safety blanket. Her eyes started to burn with unshed tears again, but she fought them back. She would not be weak, not now. 

"Deirdre..." Diana tried and reached out to put a hand on the girl's shoulder, but Deirdre pushed it away.

"No! They killed her, and Jhonen led them to us!" she snapped, still fighting the tears. "He waited until we were most vulnerable, and then he led them to us!"

"*Jhonen* led them to you?" Diana repeated, disbelieving. "He wouldn't-"

"Well, he did!" Deirdre interrupted angrily. "He's their little pet now...he doesn't care about us, he never did!"

__

Jhonen? Oh, God...

Up until that moment Diana had never really believed that Jhonen would betray them - yes, he'd left them and sided with the Shadow Alliance instead, and it had hurt, but Diana had been willing to give him the benefit of doubt. None of them knew why he'd left, and despite what Suzuka thought, Jhonen might not have changed sides voluntarily. Blade could have manipulated - or maybe even threatened - the boy to leave the Guardians, but this...there was no longer any way to defend Jhonen's behavior. He'd betrayed them and been the direct cause of Prue's death.

__

Traitor! Diana thought bitterly, but remained silent. Deirdre needed someone to talk to, and Diana's angry thoughts would have to wait. 

"What happened?" Diana repeated quietly, and this time Deirdre seemed to consider the question instead of just dismissing it.

"We...we wanted to get away from all and relax a bit," Deirdre began quietly with a faraway look in her eyes, as if she was watching some inner movie that only she could see. "We were in the diner, when...when Jhonen showed up. I asked him what he was doing there, and..." Deirdre trailed off and pulled the covers closer.

"And?" Diana asked, encouraging the girl to go on.

"He told me he was looking for us," she whispered. "Then Nike showed up. I tried to blind her, but she-she took control of my mind and I could feel myself obey her orders, and I couldn't do anything to stop it," she sobbed, the tears started to fall again.

Diana sent her a sympathetic look, and Deirdre took a moment to calm down before she continued. 

"Prue tried to get away, but Blade stopped her. One of the waitresses asked what was going on, but Melee convinced her that everything was okay, and she left again," Deirdre explained quietly. The sobbing had almost stopped, but her eyes were still red and puffy from the tears. 

Diana remained silent, patiently waiting for the younger girl to continue.

"They forced us into the alley. I-I tried to fight Nike, in my mind, you know, I really tried but she...she was too strong. Prue started to argue with them, and I tried to warn her, but I couldn't. Then-then Blade told Melee to chose who of us should die, and she picked Prue." 

The tears slowly started again, but Deirdre continued, seemingly oblivious to the teardrops that ran down her cheeks. 

"Nike drew her knife, and...and I managed to get loose, but when I tried to use my powers, Jhonen...he warned her! He warned her, and she knocked me out, and-" finally Deirdre couldn't hold back the suppressed emotions anymore. The tears returned with renewed strength and Diana hugged the girl, feeling the body in her arms tremble as Deirdre cried. 

"He killed her, Dee," Deirdre sobbed and curled up in Diana's embrace. "He might not have held the knife, but he killed her!"

Diana held Deirdre tightly as the girl surrendered to the tears once more, crying herself into an exhausted, but mercifully dreamless sleep. Diana stayed with the girl, watching over both her and West as they slept. But to herself, tired and exhausted as she was, sleep still remained elusive. 

***

Coming up: Things have changed between the core members of the Shadow Alliance, but not everyone likes what's going on. And just when things are starting to calm down a bit, someone from Laetitia's past contacts the team: Blade has a debt to pay, and the price could very well be his and Jordane's lives. 


	54. Debt of Honor, part I

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Forty-Four: Debt of Honor, part I

***

Zach hesitated outside the door, suddenly not so sure this was a good idea. He knew that Blade had picked that particular room to get the chance to work without interruptions. Jordane was in their other hotel room, probably still asleep, and Jhonen and Laetitia were...well, wherever they were, he really didn't want to know. 

Actually, there were a lot of things he would have preferred not knowing, and Jhonen and Nike's relationship was just one of them. Blade and Jordane's obviously no longer just platonic relationship ranked pretty high on Zach's irk-list as well, which was the reason why he currently found himself wondering how Blade would react to interruptions this early in the morning. 

It wasn't really Zach's fault, though - in all honesty he would have preferred to remain oblivious, but fate had wanted otherwise. He'd known that some of his teammates had taken a trip downtown, but he hadn't really considered what they'd been doing. Until he'd heard them return shortly before dawn, that was.

A light sleeper as Zach was, he'd heard them outside, and had gotten out of bed to see what was going on. Curious - and yes, a bit suspicious as well, he readily admitted that - he'd watched from the window in the dark room, invisible to the four mutants in front of the hotel. And something had changed, that much was certain.

Jhonen had followed Laetitia around like a puppy, barely taking his eyes off her, and it didn't escape Zach's attention that Laetitia had changed clothes sometime during the night. He had made a habit of being observant during his time on the streets - you never knew when it might save your life. 

Or make you more than a bit worried, like in this case. 

And the relationship between Jhonen and Nike wasn't the only thing that had changed. Now that Zach had the chance to sit down and observe his teammates, he wondered how he could have been so blind as to actually believe that the relationship between Blade and Jordane was purely platonic. There was something downright possessive about the looks he sent her, as well as the way he'd wrapped his arm around her waist.

Zach frowned. There was something on Jordane's neck...normally he wouldn't have noticed it from this far away, but the artificial light from the hotel created a stark contrast between Jordane's pale skin and the...bruise? Yes, it had to be; it couldn't be anything else.

__

How did she get a wound on her throat? Zach wondered, a bit worried. _A fight, maybe?_

He didn't have to wonder long - he was looking direct at his teammates when he saw Blade lower his head and whisper something in Jordane's ear. The girl giggled, then leaned against Blade's chest, baring her neck to him. Blade smirked and kissed the soft skin; first on the dark red bruise, then further up, never letting go of her.

And suddenly it became all too clear to Zach. It wasn't a wound from a fight...it was a bite-mark.

Zach stepped away from the window and sat down heavily on his bed. He didn't need to know that. He really did *not* need to know that. He could have lived a perfectly happy life never knowing what Jordane and Blade did when-

Oh, God, that was a disturbing image. 

If forced, he could accept the fact that they were having sex on a regular basis - Hell, the entire team had known that it was only a matter of time before either Blade or Jordane gave in - but he really didn't want to think about the various kinks two individuals as disturbed as those could come up with. Bite-marks were probably only in the milder end of the scale. 

Zach frowned, trying to force the unwanted images out of his mind, but didn't succeed. Something was going on, he knew that, and whatever it was, it was bad news. Bite-marks as bad as the one on Jordane's neck wasn't a sign of a healthy relationship, and Jhonen...the boy followed Nike around like a pet. 

Zach's common sense told him to stay out of it, that it was none of his business, but...

He shook his head and sighed. He couldn't just watch two of his teammates get into something that obviously wasn't healthy, he just couldn't. He cared about both Jhonen and Jordane, and as their friend it was his duty to try to help them, even if they didn't know they needed it. The best way to do that would be to confront the person who had most likely caused the problem in the first place - Blade.

And if he didn't like what Zach had to say...well, that was just too fucking bad.

***

It was the sound of a knock on the door that broke Blade's concentration and made him look up from the laptop in front of him.

"Yes?" he replied, shutting down the computer. It was a habit more than anything, but Blade had no intentions of changing it. He trusted his teammates - at least to a certain extend - but a healthy amount of paranoia had saved him more than once.

The door opened and Zach stepped inside, looking more serious than Blade had seen him in a long time. 

"Is there a problem?" Blade asked with a deliberate casualness. 

"Yeah...there is," Zach replied, slightly annoyed at the man's nonchalance. "What's going on, Blade?" he demanded.

Blade arched an eyebrow and looked at the boy in amusement. Zach really couldn't blame him for that - a sixteen-year-old kid, making demands to his ten-year-older boss? Even to him the scene was absurd. 

But absurd or not, Zach wanted some answers. Something was going on, and he wanted to know what it was, consequences be damned. He was a part of this team, too, and he had no intentions of letting either of his superiors do something that might endangers the health - or sanity - of his teammates. 

"Did it ever occur to you that it might not be any of your business?" Blade replied, with just a hint of annoyance. Amusing as the situation might be, he still didn't care much for Zach's question. He had no desire to justify his actions to a teenage boy - this was his team, and he played by his own rules.

"If it's got anything to do with the team, it *is* my business!" Zach retorted. "I'm a part of the team, too, and I don't like being kept in the dark."

Blade pointedly ignored him, a clear sign that he did not want to discuss it, but Zach didn't give up.

"What's going on, Blade?" he repeated. "Jhonen following Nike around like a pet, the trip downtown last night, Jordane's bite-mark...what the fuck is going on?!" he demanded.

Blade stood up with deliberately slow movements, and Zach faltered slightly as he realized that he might have pushed his luck more than healthy was. He'd expected that his questions would annoy Blade, but not this much. If Blade got pissed...shit, Zach didn't want to see that happen. Blade might be fairly patient with his team, but when angered he was not someone you'd want to be around, teammate or not.

Zach should have dropped the subject, he knew that, but he couldn't. He'd started to like Jhonen's honesty and personality, and he respected Jordane as a friend and teammate. He couldn't just stand by and watch them get into relationships that were obviously not healthy. Jordane's bite mark was probably only the beginning.

"You can't just let Nike twist Jhonen into her own little boy toy - she could scar him for life!" Zach objected. "And Jordane...shit! I *saw* that bite mark on her throat, and that wasn't just a gentle nip, was it?" 

Blade eyes grew cold.

"I don't have to justify my actions to anyone, Zach. This is *my* team, and we play by *my* rules. Now get out before I lose my patience." 

"No!" Zach refused. "Assassinations and unnecessary violence I can overlook, but this is just wrong! She's seven years younger that you! She's not a partner, she's a pet, isn't she?!" he snapped, and the accusation hung heavily in the air between them.

Blade moved closer until he was standing face to face with the younger mutant, and Zach realized with dawning fear that he might have pushed things too far this time.

"As I said, *Zachary*...stay out of this. It's none of your business," Blade repeated in a low voice.

Zach didn't move, didn't even dare to reply, and for a tense moment the two just stood there. Then, with the soft swish of dark clothes against a black trench coat, Blade left the room, leaving a shaken Zach behind.

__

Fuck...

Zach took a deep breath to calm down, then sat down in a chair, taking a moment to consider the situation. It was worse that he'd expected - Blade's reaction had told him quite clearly that he'd been right in his assumptions. He'd hoped that it was just paranoia, that he'd read more in Blade and Jordane's relationship than really was there, but this... 

He had to do something...this was definitely not healthy. And since Blade had made it quite clear that he did not want to discuss it, there was only one option left:

Jordane.

***

"We have a problem."

Laetitia looked up, surprised to find Blade standing in the doorway.

"What's wrong?" she asked concerned.

"Zach. He's started to ask questions about things that are none of his business," Blade replied and leaned against the wall with an annoyed expression.

"How bad?"

"Bad enough. Asking about relationships that he should keep his nose out of, for one. And he's demanding to know what happened last night as well." 

Laetitia frowned. It wasn't hard to guess what he meant - if Zach started to ask questions, he could easily start to work against them as well, and that would only prove to be another unwanted problem for them to solve. They really didn't have the time for that now - things were bad enough as it was, without one of their teammates working against them.

"Keep an eye on him...just in case," Blade added and Laetitia nodded slightly.

"I will," she promised. "Are we leaving today? If we are, it would be best if one of us stayed in the same car as him," she continued.

"Yes...we are. See if you can get a hold of any of your informants...it would be a good idea to know about any potential problems ahead," Blade said. "As far as I can see from the police reports we should have no problems in that regard, but the FoH might still cause some trouble." 

"Sergey could probably be convinced to share some information with us," Laetitia mused. For a brief moment she thought she saw something in Blade's eyes at the mention of Sergey's name - annoyance? Anger? - but whatever it was, it was gone before Laetitia could identify it.

"Do what you have to do," Blade ordered curtly. "If it's money he wants, I'll pay him."

Laetitia smiled teasingly.

"Since it's me, I'll probably get a discount."

Blade smirked slightly, but didn't reply. Laetitia got out of the chair and stretched her body, then crossed the room, joining Blade by the doorway. 

"Where's Jhonen, by the way?" 

Laetitia smirked, having already anticipated the question. 

"Asleep," she replied with a suggestive smile. "The poor boy needed it."

Blade took a step closer, stopping in front of Laetitia. They were standing close enough to feel the heat from each other's bodies, but still just far enough away not to touch.

"I don't blame him," Blade mumbled, his lips mere inches from Laetitia's ear. "You have quite an...appetite."

"And what do you suggest we do about that?" Laetitia asked in her husky voice, letting a finger caress his arm.

Blade just smirked and walked around Laetitia, then sat down in the chair with a deceptive laziness. Laetitia raised an eyebrow, and felt a smile grace her lips. She hadn't expected him to take her up on the offer, of course, but it was always an interesting game to play.

"Do you think Deirdre is still alive?" she asked, and settled down on the bed.

Blade raised an eyebrow.

"Do I look like I care?" he asked, vaguely amused, and Laetitia laughed softly.

"You really are a cold-hearted bastard, aren't you?" she asked, still smiling. She was one of the few people in the world who could get away with talking to Blade like that, and she knew it.

As she'd expected, he didn't react with anger but instead settled for a small smirk.

"Of course - how do you think I've stayed alive this long?" he replied, then reached out and grabbed her cell phone from the table. "See if you can get a hold of Sergey. We leave today," he said and tossed her the phone.

Laetitia grabbed the phone midair and started dialing, still with a smile on her lips.

***

Zach found Jordane in her hotel room, clad only in one of the standard, white hotel towels. With no clothes to hide the bruises from the night in the alley, he could clearly see the angry, red bite mark on her neck, as well as several smaller, finger-shaped bruises on her shoulder and back. He winced unconsciously, and Jordane spun around, noticing his presence for the first time.

"What the fuck are you doing here?! Haven't you learned how to knock?!" she demanded angrily and pulled the towel tighter around her body.

"I...I wanted to talk with you," Zach explained, momentarily taken aback by her anger. The last thing he needed was a furious Jordane - she would be hard enough to talk some sense into as it was; he did *not* want to try when she was angry. 

The fury in Jordane's eyes slowly diminished as she considered Zach's words.

"Okay," she nodded. "Turn around, would you? I need to put on some clothes."

"Sure," Zach mumbled and did as he was told. There was a faint rustle as Jordane put on a clean set of clothes, then the muted sound of a wet towel landing in a chair. 

"Alright. What did you want to talk to me about?" Jordane finally said, and Zach turned around. He found the girl sitting on the bed, dressed in a pair of baggy pants, and a loose T-shirt, making her look far younger than her nineteen years. 

Zach frowned. Always seeing Jordane armed and ready to fight made it easy to forget that despite her cocky - and angry - attitude, she was still just a teenager. It also made Zach even more determined to talk some sense into Jordane - whatever kind of relationship she had with Blade, isn't wasn't healthy. He was too violent, too cold-blooded for someone like Jordane, but the girl refused to see it.

"Well?" Jordane asked, a bit impatiently, and Zach forced himself to focus on the task at hand. 

"What's going on between you and Blade?" he asked, cutting right through the pleasantries. 

Jordane's reaction was immediate and instinctively. In one, fluent movement she got up from the bed, and Zach could almost see all of her defenses go back up at his words.

"It's none of your business!" she snapped, the fury returning to her eyes. She clenched her fists and could feel the nails digging into her hand, the pain helping her keep the berserker rage under control.

"You're my teammate, Jordane," Zach said, forcing himself to remain calm. "I have every right to worry about you when I see you like this. This isn't healthy, you know that."

"Stay out it, Zach," Jordane said and sent him a angry look, and not for the first time Zach could see Blade's influence shine through. "My sex life is none of your fucking business!"

Zach took a step closer, refusing to back down.

"It is if he's hurting you," he retorted. "Don't tell me that mark on your throat didn't hurt."

"He's not hurting me!" Jordane denied, unconsciously touching the bruise with her hand. "You don't know him, Zach, none of you do!"

"Know what?" Zach asked in a low voice. "That he's addicted to power? That he likes to kill people? That he gets off on hurting and controlling his lovers?" 

"He didn't care about them, not like he cares about me!" Jordane snapped. "He'd never hurt me."

"Wake up, damnit!" Zach replied angry, finally losing his patience. "He already has! That man is insane!"

"Shut up!" Jordane ordered with barely controlled fury. "You don't know me, Zach, and you don't know him. He loves me, so just stay out of it, damnit!"

Zach closed his eyes and shook his head. This was worse than he'd expected. He'd thought that he might be able to talk some sense into Jordane, but this...her devotion to Blade was stronger than Zach had ever imagined. He'd been right - she wasn't a partner to Blade, she was his pet. Submissive, loyal, and willing to do whatever he said.

__

This is sick...

When Zach opened his eyes again, the anger had disappeared, only to be replaced by sadness and confusion.

"Why?" he finally asked wearily. "Why do you think love has anything to do with pain, danger, and control?"

Jordane faltered, feeling the sudden rush of energy leave her body as her anger disappeared.

"You don't know me," she repeated, softer this time, and Zach took a step closer.

"No," he answered quietly. "And I don't think you do, either." He hesitated, then walked up to Jordane and brushed a lock of wet, blue hair out of her face. "Has he really twisted you so much that you can't imagine love without pain?"

"He didn't..." Jordane tried to object but trailed off at the look of honest concern in Zach's eyes. 

__

It's about control, isn't it? Zach suddenly realized. He'd seen it before - people hiding their confusion and pain beneath a bad attitude - but had never imagined that the same thing might be the case with Jordane. She'd always seemed so strong and confident, but once he thought about it, it all made sense. None of them really knew much about her past - only Blade did, and he stayed quiet about it.

__

That's it, isn't it? He looked past the facade, and took control of you, and you let him because it's the only kind of safety you've ever known, Zach thought, and felt the pieces fall into place. _Christ...what happened to you to turn you into this, Jordane? _

Jordane's confusion at his concern was obvious, and it made Zach even more determined to talk some sense into the girl - her reaction to his behavior told him clearer than words ever could that she wasn't used to concern from people...and apparently, that included Blade. 

"Love doesn't have to hurt," Zach whispered with quiet conviction, and even though every instinct in Jordane's body told her that she was heading into dangerous waters, she found herself unable to move. 

"Don't..." she whispered softly. Even through her confusion, she knew what the result would be if Zach tried anything. Blade would never hurt her, she knew that, but Zach...she didn't want to think about what her lover might feel tempted to do to teach the boy a lesson.

"I won't hurt you," Zach replied in the same soft voice. "Trust me, Jordane."

Jordane wanted to protest, to tell him to get out, but couldn't move. The honest concern he showed left her more baffled than angry - she didn't care much for his opinion about her and Blade's relationship, but it was hard to be angry with him when the only reason for his objections was concern for her.

Zach leaned closer, caught in the moment and no longer thinking. He had wanted to prove to Jordane that love didn't have to hurt, that it didn't have to involve bites and bruises, but when she'd refused to listen to logic...well, he would just have to show her. 

His lips brushed across hers, barely touching, and Jordane's eyes widened in surprise. 

__

He-

Her shocked thought was interrupted as Zach kissed her again, this time deeper, but still gentle and caring. Caught up in the pleasant sensation, Jordane closed her eyes and leaned closer, unconsciously responding to the touch. She'd never imagined that someone who looked as threatening as Zach did could ever be so gentle, and yet... 

__

No!

Jordane's eyes snapped open as she realized what she was doing, and she took a step back, eyes wide with shock and confusion. Her sudden movement forced Zach back to reality as well, and only then did he realize what he'd done.

__

Shit!

"Jordane, I'm-" he began, but the girl just shook her head.

"Get out, Zach. Please, get out," she pleaded.

"Jordane..." Zach tried again, but Jordane cut him short.

"Get out!" she repeated, angrier this time, and Zach knew that he would do best in following orders before Jordane lost control of herself. For the briefest of moment he'd actually imagined that he'd gotten through to Jordane, that he'd actually made her see what was going on, but now...now he wasn't so sure anymore. Hopefully he'd been able to talk a least a little sense into the girl, but deep down he knew that it wasn't the case - Jordane's loyalty to Blade was absolute, and it was too late for Zach to do much to change that.

"Alright," Zach surrendered and lowered his head slightly. "Just think about what I said, okay?"

Jordane looked away briefly, taking a moment to calm down, and when she looked at Zach again, the anger had disappeared from her eyes.

"He won't hurt me, Zach...trust me. Please," she whispered, and Zach sighed. He still didn't like what was going on, but it would be useless to continue the discussion, he knew that.

"I do, just...be careful," he replied.

Jordane smiled slightly, the gesture lighting up her entire face.

"I promise," she replied softly.

Zach nodded, then left the room, giving her some privacy. He closed the door behind him, then leaned against the wall, feeling the adrenaline course through his body as the full impact of what he'd done hit him. 

__

Shit! I kissed Jordane...Blade is going to kill me for this.

***


	55. Debt of Honor, part II

To Ageless, for hauling my ass out of the fire, and preventing me from fucking up this chapter completely. Thanks, babe - I owe you one. I'll even write that pro-Guardians plotbunny for you without complaining too much ^^

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Forty-Five: Debt of Honor, part II

***

When Jordane entered the girls' room half an hour later, she wasn't surprised to find that the rest of the team was already there. Zach looked at her, his gaze lingering on her for a second, but Jordane fought back confusion she felt and looked the boy straight in the eyes with obvious defiance. For a moment neither moved, then Zach looked away, a hint of defeat in the motion, and Jordane crossed the room to join Blade at the opposite side of the room.

"Is everything all right?" Blade asked calmly, without looking up from the maps he and Hal were studying, planning their future route. Zach looked up sharply, feeling a shiver run down his spine. The words sounded perfectly innocent, but were anything but - with that one sentence Blade had made Zach aware that he knew something had happened, and that it was only a matter of time before he'd find out the details. 

__

Damn.

Zach forced himself to act casually and waited nervously for Jordane's reply, unsure as to how much she would actually tell the older mutant.

"I'm fine," Jordane finally replied uneasily. "Just a bit tired."

Blade nodded, apparently accepting the explanation, and Jordane felt a pang of relief. Not relief on her own behalf, but relief on Zach's. The kiss hadn't meant anything - it was just an argument gone out of hand, a one-time mistake, and none of Blade's business. But Zach - he was a good guy, and he didn't deserve the hell Blade was sure to unleash on him if the truth about the kiss came out. No. She'd made the right decision, she knew that. 

With forced casualness she sat down on the bed next to Blade, never noticing the small smirk on her partner's face.

Blade wasn't blind, far from, and he knew that she was hiding something from him. It was nearly impossible for her to lie to him--he knew her far too well for that. And whatever it was she was hiding, he was pretty sure it had something do to with Zach. Talking to Jordane would have been the next logical step for the boy, even if he had been ordered to leave the matter alone. 

Oh, well. Blade could be patient when needed be, and he'd find out the truth soon enough. And if it turned out that Zach had been getting involved in things that were none of his business...well, then Blade would find a way to deal with Zach's annoying habit of prying -- permanently. 

Laetitia's cell phone rang, interrupting Blade's train of thoughts, and he returned to the maps, listening with half an ear to Laetitia's side of the conversation. 

"Yes?"

"It would seem that you're in luck, Nike," a familiar voice replied, a hint of a Russian accent accompanying the words. "The area appears calm for the time being."

"Sergey," Laetitia stated, surprised that he'd bothered to call her back personally instead of letting one of his employees handle it. Not that she was going to tell that to him - she was too much of a professional to show any weakness in front of other. 

"Yes. Things appear to be calm. There are rumors about a FoH attack of some sort, but nobody is sure about the details. Once you get out of town, that should no longer be a threat."

Laetitia smiled slightly.

"Well, that's certainly good news. How much do we owe you for that?"

Sergey paused.

"Let's call it a favor between professionals...if I can convince you to do something for me." 

"And what would that be?" Laetitia replied suspiciously. She wasn't trusting by nature, and Sergey's choice of words didn't make things better.

"Nothing much...just tell your boss that I have a job for him," Sergey replied, a vague amusement accompanying the words. Amusement at her suspiciousness, probably, much as Laetitia hated to admit that.

She frowned.

"We're not taking jobs right now - not until we've reached a safe place to stay, at least."

"Oh, he'll take this one. Tell him I have a bullet I want to return," Sergey clarified. "He'll know what I mean."

__

Bullet?

Laetitia's eyes flashed towards Blade, her gaze resting on the man for a brief moment. It wasn't often she didn't understand what was going on, but right now...whatever it was, she was starting to have a bad feeling about it.

"...Alright," she said. "Hang on for a moment."

Laetitia covered the mouthpiece of the cell-phone with her thumb, then looked at the bed where Blade, Jordane, and Hal were studying the maps, quietly discussing the best route south.

"Blade?" The man looked up questioningly, and Laetitia continued. "Sergey has a job for you."

"We're busy," Blade ordered curtly and looked at the maps again.

"I told him that," Laetitia said. "He says he has a bullet he wants to return," she added, watching the man carefully.

Blade's head instantly snapped up, all tiredness gone in a second. There was something in his eyes, something Laetitia could almost - *almost* - recognize, but she dismissed it as too unlikely.

If she hadn't known any better, she could have sworn it was fear.

"Blade...?" Laetitia asked.

Blade didn't reply, but got up and grabbed the phone in a quick, fluent motion. He covered the mouthpiece with his thumb, then sent his teammates a sharp look. 

"Get out. Now!" he snapped, and his voice left no room for argument.

The others exchanged a confused look, but did as they were told and left the room. Jordane got up and walked over to Blade, putting a hand on his shoulder, and Laetitia got the distinctive feeling that Blade wasn't the only one who was involved in...whatever this was. She hesitated a moment, then pushed the door shut. Whatever was going on, it was bad news, and that made it her business. Blade's pale eyes rested on her for a moment, but he didn't object, and turned his attention to the phone instead. 

"What do you want?" Blade asked coldly

"You owe me a favor, Heron," Sergey replied with a faint amusement, obviously enjoying the situation he'd put the younger mercenary in. "And I have a situation I want you to handle."

Blade didn't reply, and the Russian continued.

"A good friend of mine was captured in New York two days ago. She is a young mutant named Rina Kells. She was transported to Chicago yesterday and is currently being held in the temporary prison facilities. Get her out of there, alive and unharmed, and we're even." 

"Why us?" Blade demanded. "You have dozens of people who could handle that...why us?"

"You're currently closest to the prison. You must understand, Heron, that I can't risk having her transferred to an internment camp. Get her out of there, and we're even. Do we have a deal?"

Every instinct in Blade's body told him to say no and get the hell out of town - something felt wrong, and chances were that it wasn't good news for Jordane and him. He didn't trust Sergey on a good day and this sudden 'favor' wasn't making things any better.

But he didn't have a choice, and they both knew that.

"Deal," Blade replied resignedly.

"Excellent. I'll contact you in a five days," Sergey said, and before Blade had the chance to reply, the connection was cut. Blade sighed and tossed the cell phone back to Laetitia.

"Blade...?" Jordane sent him a concerned look. "What did-"

"See if you can get a copy of the plans over the temporary prison here in Chicago," Blade interrupted. "We'll need them as soon as possible."

He could see that Jordane wanted to know what was going on, but he held up his hand to stop her before she could ask.

"I'll explain later. Just get the plans."

Jordane nodded and left the room, already going through a mental list of people who might be able to get the information they needed. Laetitia followed her with her eyes until the door closed, then turned to Blade.

"I though you said that we weren't going to take a job until we had reached a safe area," she noted.

Blade glared at her, but didn't reply, and Laetitia continued.

"What's going on?" she asked softly. "I know you, Blade, and I know you're not the kind of person who'll accept a job you don't want to take."

Blade sighed and sat down heavily in one of the chairs. Under normal circumstances he probably wouldn't have bothered to explain his reasons to anyone, save maybe Jordane, but in this case...in this case he could make an exception. At least when it came to Laetitia. She knew how the world worked, and didn't have the same foolish optimism and morality that most of the others carried around.

"It's a bit of a special case, Nike."

"What's going on?" Laetitia repeated and Blade motioned for her to sit down.

"I don't know if Jordane told you, but we've been here before...three years ago, actually," he began.

"She did...she said that this was where she got her first gunshot wound," Laetitia confirmed, and Blade sent her a humorless smile.

"Yes...because of me," he admitted. "We'd just completed an assignment in this area. We probably stayed here a bit longer than was wise, but at that time I didn't think about it - it had been a hard job, and both of us just wanted to get it over with. We were preparing to leave, when...she was shot by a sniper. We later found out that I was the intended target, but they fucked up."

"How bad was it?" Laetitia asked, not wasting her time on disbelief or shocked remarks. She knew the risks of their profession, and she knew that they could easily find themselves in the receiving end of a bullet. She'd even found herself in that situation on one or two occasions. At best, an encounter like that was an annoyance. At worst, it was fatal. 

"It was bad. One shot in the chest, one in the stomach."

Laetitia winced slightly, but Blade ignored it.

"She was brought to a hospital, but they couldn't fix her, only buy her a short time," he continued. "She needed a healer, and Sergey was the best chance of finding one."

"He suggested a deal?" Laetitia guessed, and Blade snorted. 

"Deal...blackmail...what's the difference?" he asked tiredly. "As things were, he saved Jordane, but kept the bullets as proof of the debt I owed him. Two bullets, two...favors. I repaid part of my debt two years ago..."

"...And now he's calling in the second favor," Laetitia finished. There was no reaction from Blade, and she continued. "What does he want?"

Blade sighed and walked over to the window, watching the city for a moment.

"He wants us to get a friend of his out of Chicago. She's a mutant named Rina Kells - she was caught in New York, and transported to the temporary prison here in Chicago. Probably because the New York prison facilities are already overloaded as it is," he added. 

Laetitia frowned.

"Rina Kells? The name rings a bell...I think we've met her before," she said slowly, then continued as she saw Blade raise an eyebrow questioningly. "While the team was split up - we had to stay in a safehouse for a night, along with another mutant...her, I suspect."

"Interesting..." There was no indifference or ridicule in Blade's voice, only careful consideration as he added this new piece to the mental puzzle that was his and Jordane's future mission. "Did she seem important to you?" he asked, and Laetitia shook her head. 

"Quite frankly, no," she replied. "This whole thing doesn't seem right - Sergey would never go through this much trouble for one mutant, no matter how powerful their mutation might be. It feels like a trap. "

"And it probably is," Blade replied with surprising calm. "But what choice do we have?"

__

None, Laetitia admitted silently. She knew Sergey, and she knew how he worked. You didn't say 'no' to him, not if you wanted to survive another day. His network of criminals reached far - you could run, but you could never disappear forever. Sooner or later, someone would find you, and that would be the end of it. _Accept the mission and walk into a trap, or decline and get killed. _

"We're accepting the job - neither of us want to just sit around and wait for someone to shoot us. This way, at least we'll have a chance," Blade told her.

And that, Laetitia realized, was what it all boiled down to: death by your own terms, or death by another's.

Blade was a fighter. He might not follow the same code of honor as most other fighters, but he was a fighter nonetheless. And like any other fighter, he had no desire to die from a bullet in the back, or a colorless poison in his drink. If his time had come, he intended to go down fighting, and take as many of his enemies with him as he could.

Laetitia knew this, and recognized it in herself. She wanted to die fighting, and not like some defenseless old woman in her bed. As a fighter she wanted to see death coming, and meet it with the resolve that fitted someone like her.

Yes, Sergey's assignment was most likely a trap. Yes, there was a real possibility that they would get killed, but if that happened, at least they would die on their own terms. 

"You knew, didn't you?" Laetitia asked softly. 

"That this deal was likely to get me in trouble?" Blade asked. "Of course. But I didn't have a choice. I was the one who got Jordane into this life to begin with, and that makes her my responsibility." 

Laetitia didn't reply, and Blade continued.

"Tell the rest of the team to pack their things," he ordered, and he was back to the cold professional once again. "Melee and I will meet up with you in a week in Denver...that should give us enough time to get the girl out of prison and meet with the rest of you. Take the cars - we'll rent one instead. It's easier that way."

"No," Laetitia said and shook her head.

Blade raised an eyebrow.

"'No'?" he repeated. "It wasn't a suggestion, Nike, it was an order."

"What I meant was that I'm coming with you," Laetitia elaborated, and continued as she saw Blade's surprised expression. "You'll have a better chance of succeeding if I come along, we both know that. Besides, this is what you pay me to do, isn't it?"

__

And if I die, at least it will be on my own terms, and not because I've been hunted down like a dog by the feds, she added silently. The feds were closing in on her, and she knew that if - when - they found her, it would end in an ambush, and not a direct attack. She could run and hide, yes, but she didn't want to spend the rest of her life hiding. And she didn't want it to end in an ambush, either - she was a professional, trained to be the best. As her father had told her so often, it was better to take your enemies with you in death than die running. 

Maybe she was suicidal. Maybe she had a death wish. Either way, she owed Blade and Jordane her help. If nothing else, then because of the quite generous salary Blade paid her - that certainly justified taking a few risks, And besides...if Sergey started to believe that Blade wouldn't keep his part of the deal, the remaining members of the Shadow Alliance could easily find themselves in the line of fire. Laetitia couldn't risk that, not with Pheonix around. 

"And you're sure about this?" Blade asked. "You're not usually the type to put yourself in potentially fatal situations unless it's necessary."

"'Fatal situation' is such an ugly term. Let's call it a calculated risk instead," Laetitia replied, and Blade sent her a long, measuring look before nodding slightly.

"In that case, we'll appreciate your help." 

Laetitia accepted the words with a small nod.

"Let's put Jhonen or Hal in charge of the team until we're reunited again," Blade continued. "Quite frankly, I'm not sure I trust Zach right now. With his current habit of meddling he could easily get the others into trouble."

"Jhonen isn't ready for that kind of a responsibility yet...and I don't think the others are ready to accept him as a leader, however short it may be. Hal would be the better option of the two, even if she isn't much for leadership," Laetitia suggested. 

"Probably, yes," Blade agreed. "Talk to the others and explain to them that we have something to do. I'll talk to Hal."

Laetitia nodded, and the two left to room to find their teammates.

* * *

"Excuse me?" Hal asked, staring at her boss in disbelief.

"I said, Melee, Nike, and I have something to take care of," Blade repeated. "We'll meet up with you in Denver in a week. Until then, you're in charge of the team."

Hal frowned. 

"But...me? Why not Zach? He's better suited for a leader role, even if it *is* temporary."

"I have my reasons," Blade replied coldly.

Hal wanted to ask exactly what those reasons were, but wisely chose to remain silent. Whatever was going on, it had put Blade in a bad mood, that much was for sure. But that still didn't explain why he'd decided to give *her* control of the team - after Jordane and Laetitia, his usual choice would be Zach. Sure, Zach was younger than Hal, but he did have a certain potential for leadership. He'd handled the job well before...why would Blade suddenly leave him out of the equation?

But whatever the reason, Blade wasn't about to tell her, and Hal knew that.

"Exactly where in Denver do we meet?" she asked, deliberately changing the subject.

Blade handed her a piece of paper and a credit card, and Hal checked the address he'd written down, then looked at him questioningly.

"It's a motel in the downtown area," Blade explained. "If we're not there within a week, get the hell out of there and continue south," he ordered. "*Don't* try to come back - if we don't succeed, there is no chance you will, either." 

"Succeed in what?" Hal asked worried. "What kind of assignment is it?"

Blade smirked, but there was no amusement in his eyes.

"It's not an assignment - more like a favor we owe to a...friend."

"It doesn't sound very friendly to me," Hal pointed out softly, but Blade sighed.

"Just tell the others to pack their things. You leave tomorrow." 

He didn't bother to wait for a reply, but left the room in search off Jordane, leaving a thoughtful Hal behind. 

The young albino wasn't stupid - far from. She'd spent years surviving by her wit alone, using her powers only as an absolute last resort. She knew that this sudden split would weaken the team significantly. Their main strength wasn't their powers or weapons, it was the diverse personalities that made up the team. Blade, Jordane, and Laetitia's ruthlessness was balanced out by the consideration they had to show to the younger members of the team. Her own and Aaron's fairly defensive powers were balanced out by Zach and Pheonix' offensive powers. 

It was all a matter of balance...and now the balance was being destroyed. 

Hal sat down, suddenly feeling more than a bit tired as she realized the consequences of the split. Blade, Jordane, and Laetitia were nothing short of psychotic when they worked together, and this time there would be no one to prevent things from getting out of hand. 

And her own part of the team...that didn't look much better. With Nike and Blade out of the equation, they had lost two of the team's heavy-hitters. If they got into any trouble, they would have to rely on Pheonix's and Zach's powers...and Pheonix' powers would be severely limited as they were heading in-land. Sure, there would always be small areas of water for her to manipulate, but nothing that would make her able to cause the same destruction as she could when she was near the ocean. Hal's own powers were largely defensive, as were Aaron and Jhonen's. That left Zach's power as protection...and if that weren't enough, they would have to use firearms instead.

Hal shook her head, then slowly got out of the chair.

We're in trouble...we're in big trouble.

***


	56. New Day Dawning

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Forty-Six: New Day Dawning

***

His head hurt. 

His head hurt, his shoulder felt like it had been stabbed repeatedly with a syringe, and his body felt drained.

Despite - or maybe because - of this, Ben felt good. Well, not exactly good. Accomplished, maybe. Satisfied. Victorious? 

Yes.

He'd always hated poison, maybe because he'd felt the effects on his own body. Felt it on himself, as pain and dizziness and cramps, rather than reading about the consequence in an academic book, with impersonal letters that had never known the burn of cyanide or snake-poison flowing through their veins. 

He hated it, *feared it*, because a gunshot wound was easy, you could see the damage, but poison...with poison he never quite knew what he was getting into. He knew the results of a bullet through the shoulder, could mention every muscle and bone that would feel the cold steel, but poison...

He hated it, and even more than the poison, he hated those who could bring themselves to using it against others. It was sadistic. Sadistic, cruel, and inhuman. 

And he'd defeated it. 

Ryan would survive. He wasn't completely cured yet - Ben would need to treat the gunshot wound one last time, that much was certain - but his body was finally completely free of poison. It hadn't been easy, far from, and he'd probably worked harder than healthy was, he knew that. The moment he'd woken up, he had returned to Ryan's side to continue the healing process, and he could feel that strain on his body now. But it had been worth it, he knew that.

The fever was down, and Ryan was actually able to walk short distances without too much trouble, headaches and dizziness aside, and even through the pain Ben felt, there was also a certain professional pride, because damn...he'd done it. He'd defeated the poison, and even if the others didn't know it, something like that was no small accomplishment. 

Ryan would survive. He was tired and dizzy and sore, but he would survive.

And for the briefest of moments, Ben felt hope.

***

"Diana?"

The voice cut through the comforting darkness of sleep, and forced Diana awake. She looked up in bleary-eyed confusion and found Suzuka watching her from the doorway. The muscles in her body complained slightly as she moved, and she realized with a bit of surprise that she'd fallen asleep in the chair next to Deirdre's bed.

Diana frowned, trying to remember what had happened during the night. She remembered comforting Deirdre as the younger girl cried herself to sleep...then curling up in the chair, watching for several long, sleepless hours as West and Deirdre slept...and then finally nothing as the exhaustion had finally caught up with her tired body.

Diana got out of the chair without too much pain, sending Suzuka a worried look. The Japanese girl looked better than she had the day before, but she still seemed...somehow paler and less vibrant than before. But with the things she'd been through, who could blame her?

"How are they?" Suzuka asked, motioning towards her two sleeping teammates.

Diana looked up, surprised that Suzuka knew what had happened since she'd been sound asleep when Kyle, West, and Deirdre had returned.

"Who told-"

"Kyle," Suzuka replied softly. "I woke up earlier, and..." she trailed off, not really sure what to say.

Diana nodded, then focused on Deirdre and West, trying to force out the hum of emotions that radiated from them. Even in sleep, their sadness, anger, and guilt all mixed together, hammering at her mental shields without mercy. A deep breath, concentrating as Ryan had taught her, and the humming slowly diminished until it reached a bearable level.

"Diana?"

Diana shook her head to clear her thoughts, then looked at Suzuka.

"They're...taking it bad, but I guess that's only to be expected," she replied quietly. "I talked to Deirdre before she fell asleep. She doesn't know whether to feel angry with Jhonen for siding with the Shadow Alliance, or guilty because there was nothing she could do to help Prue. And West...I don't know," she admitted. "He's been asleep since they got back."

"Jhonen?" Suzuka asked sharply.

"Yeah...Dre said that he was there with the Shadow Alliance. When she tried to help Prue, he stopped her," Diana replied tiredly. 

"Jhonen is nothing but a disgusting traitor," Suzuka said venomously, her voice sending shivers down Diana's spine. "And he'll die for what he did, even if it's the last thing I do."

"Suzuka..."

"No," Suzuka snapped. "Don't try to defend him. He betrayed us, Diana. He got Prue killed! We trusted him, and he betrayed us like we meant nothing to him! And when I meet him again...I will kill him," she promised with a cold anger and determination that told Diana that this was no empty threat.

"We can't go around and kill people!" Diana objected and forced herself to keep her voice down so she wouldn't wake up the other two. "I don't like what he did, either, but we're supposed to be the good guys, Suzuka, not a bunch of murderers!"

"It was his own choice," Suzuka said coldly, dismissing the arguments. "He knew what he was getting into."

Diana sighed. She wanted to talk Suzuka out of it, but knew that it would be useless. Once the Japanese girl had made a decision, it was almost impossible to argue with her. And in this case Suzuka's anger left no doubt that no argument would prevent her from going after their former teammate.

"All right," Diana surrendered, too tired to get into an obviously pointless argument. 

Suzuka held her gaze for a moment, then sighed.

"Sorry for snapping at you," she apologized, almost reluctantly. "I'm just..."

"Tired?" Diana suggested with a sigh of her own. "Angry? Hurt?" Suzuka nodded, and Diana continued. "We all are."

Suzuka didn't reply, just watched Deirdre and West for a moment, envying them the peaceful sleep they seemed to be enjoying. She herself hadn't slept well since the beginning of her involuntary stay with the Shadow Alliance - even in sleep, the memory of Nike and Blade haunted her, driving her through nightmare after nightmare, leaving her angry, shaken, tired, but never rested.

She sighed, then forced herself back to reality.

"Come on," she said and motioned towards the door. "Let's see how the guys are doing."

Diana didn't reply, but merely followed Suzuka as they left their two teammates to their much-needed sleep.

***

Diana and Suzuka entered Ryan and Kyle's room, and three pair of eyes instinctively looked up.

Diana smiled, happy that Ryan was finally awake - for real, this time. He sat on the bed, clad in loose-fitting clothes and looking like someone who was nursing a bad hangover, but he was awake, and that was all that mattered. The paleness had almost disappeared as well, and he looked a lot healthier than he had earlier.

Ben rested in chair nearby, looking just as tired and exhausted as Ryan, but really, who could blame him? With the amount of healing Ryan had needed, it was a miracle that Ben wasn't out cold.

Kyle looked most awake of the three, but his eyes held a deep sadness, and the dark circles around them spoke of a long, sleepless night. The usual calmness he radiated had been replaced by weariness, by a heavy sadness that engulfed Diana like a cold, wet blanket and threatened to drag her down. She shivered slightly, and looked at Ryan again, hoping to find comfort in his presence. He'd closed his eyes, taking a moment to relax, and Diana frowned slightly.

Did he know what had happened during the night? Judging from the tired look she'd seen in his eyes, he probably did. Sickness and injuries could make you tired, yes, but this was an emotional tiredness, not a physical. Tired, haunted eyes, but still with a spark of the life and strength she admired in him.

A life and strength that had been all but gone when Diana had watched over him earlier; strength replaced with disillusion, life with tired hopelessness. Even the kiss had carried hints of his emotional distress. Rough, demanding, yet caring, but still...still it had held a certain tiredness, a feeling of hopelessness. 

The kiss...did he even remember it? Had he even been conscious, or had it seemed like nothing but a fever-induced hallucination to him?

Ryan? she whispered silently, but the only response was a deafening silence. 

"Ryan?" she repeated, aloud this time, and Ryan opened his eyes and looked at her. A flicker of something crossed his face at the sight of Diana, a flicker of...guilt?

And that one emotion was the only reply Diana needed - he remembered exactly what had happened, and as she'd feared, he felt guilty for letting the situation get out of hand. 

Ryan...

Another soft thought directed at the man, and this time there was a faint hint of something as he fought through the pain and grogginess that engulfed his mind.

Don't feel guilty, Diana continued silently. _You didn't-_

We'll talk later, Ryan interrupted, cutting neatly through Diana's arguments. _When we're alone...not now._

Diana nodded slightly, but what else could she do? Ryan's decision was the most logical of their options - what had happened was their own business, and not something to be shared with the others unless it went any further than the kiss.

And judging from Ryan's reaction, it wouldn't, Diana realized with a small sigh. She wanted to force him into a corner and ask him why he was so scared of the emotions he felt, wanted to ask him how he could deny the mutual attraction between them, but she already knew the answer.

He was afraid. Afraid that he'd hurt her, afraid that the age-difference would somehow twist the relationship into some dark and dangerous, afraid that he was taking advantage of her 'innocent teenage crush'.

He was afraid, and he was too damn stubborn to listen to reason, Diana knew that, too.

Talk? She repeated to herself. _Yeah, we'll talk, Ryan...we have a lot of things that needs to be discussed, whether you like it or not._

Ryan shifted slightly, uncomfortably, and Diana wondered if he'd heard it. If he had, he didn't say anything about it, though, but switched into leader-mode as she'd seen him do so many times before.

"How are they?" he asked, a hint of his usual strength returning.

"...Bad," Diana admitted. She didn't have to ask who 'they' were; none of them did. "We let them sleep...they need it."

Ryan nodded slowly, but it was Kyle who replied.

"Thank you," he said quietly, and his eyes met Diana's for a long moment. It was more than a thank you for the reply; it was gratitude that Diana had agreed to talk with the two, gratitude that she'd taken on a burden he'd been reluctant to accept. Only *they* knew that, though, and that was the way it would remain - some things were too personal to be shared, and Diana and Kyle's moment in the hallway was one of them.

Ryan sent them a wondering look, tempted to ask, but decided to leave it alone.

"The question is...what do we do now?" he asked, directed at no one in specific. 

Kyle frowned.

"Personally, I think it would be best to leave, once you and Ben have regained your strength. That couple in the nightclub saw both West and me very clearly...there's always the risk that the cops manages to track us down," he replied.

Ben looked up, light blue eyes tired, but alert.

"I agree with Kyle," he said. "It's not a good idea to stay here. You'll probably be well enough to travel tomorrow, Ryan," he added. "And I only need a good night's sleep to get back to normal. I say we leave as soon as possible." 

Ryan nodded slowly.

"Diana? Suzuka?" he asked, looking at the two girls. 

Diana hesitated for a moment, considering the options, then nodded.

"I think leaving would be a good idea, too," she agreed. "The Shadow Alliance knows where we are, the police is looking for Kyle, and as West said...the FoH are up to something. Let's get out of town while we can."

Suzuka felt the attention fall on her, and she bit her lip. She didn't like running, never had, but in this case it might be their only choice. She was outnumbered, too, so arguing would be pointless. And now, more than ever, Ryan needed their support and needed a team that wasn't divided by arguing. 

"Yeah...leaving sounds like the best option," she finally replied, mercilessly crushing the voice inside that mocked her for choosing the coward's way out. If her team's future wellbeing depended on her going with the majority just this once, then so be it.

Ryan nodded, still tired, but feeling the painkillers kick in and get rid of the headache.

"Then we leave. Tomorrow, you said?" he asked, directed at Ben.

"Yes," the young healer replied. "If nothing else happens, then tomorrow."

Ryan looked at Kyle, who just smiled slightly, the gesture chasing away some of the shadows in his eyes.

"Don't worry. I'll find the maps," he replied before Ryan could even ask the question. "You need to rest, Ryan. We'll take care of the planning."

Rest?

Ryan sent Diana a look, and saw the girl raise an eyebrow challenging in reply.

Rest? He could rest later, he decided as the others left the room. Diana didn't hesitate, but closed the door behind them, leaving the two alone.

Yes...rest would have to wait, Ryan repeated to himself. Right now he had a bad situation to sort out with his second in command.

***


	57. Guilt: ficlet by VivaGlam

Guilt

By VivaGlam

*Frown* I'd originally wanted to do a Blade and Laetitia vignette, just 'cuz they promise so much fun, but really, I couldn't remember it for the life of me. Then this _gorgeous _little black Porsche Boxster pulled up beside me, and I went nuts. Thus forgetting about whatever wicked idea I was trying to remember. Darn it. So Phoenix it will be. She does have some interesting issues to explore.

****

It's today. The day when Shilo …left. As the years go by, it doesn't feel any better. It doesn't feel any worse, either. The empty place inside me that can't stop gaping, like an open wound that strangely enough, doesn't hurt. Not anymore. But maybe that's the worst thing of all- it seems like it'll never heal. And because there's no pain, I can't tell if the hurt's getting better, or if it's getting worse. 

It just feels farther away. And much more faint with each passing day. Which is the worst thing of all. I'd rather feel some pain than forget how it is to feel pain. I don't want to have it fade away. It's not right- I feel like I'm betraying Shilo, by not feeling any pain from his death. But it's been so long that… that I can't really feel the hurt anymore, you know? So I feel like it's my duty now. To feel some pain in order to remember. Because it's the only way I know how to. 

I'll never forget it. The pain of my brother dying. Of the only person who really mattered leaving so suddenly, without even giving me a chance to say goodbye. I hated him for that. Leaving so suddenly. And leaving me alone in the world, without anybody to guide me, and comfort me, like he always did.

I never liked to admit it, but deep down inside, I knew the truth. He cared when nobody else did. And that mattered more than anything. To a teenager who never fit in, whom everybody treated like the cold bitch who could never have a friend. I hated it, but there was nothing I could've done, and so I ran with the idiot rumors. Looked tough, acted tough, was the school bitch. I made them all hate me, because I hated them, too. There wasn't ever any doubt about that. 

But it hurt. To be different, and to be shunned like that. I'm different, but I can't deny what I am, and I'm a teenager, first and foremost. They always say that teenagers need acceptance and love. And you know what? As sad and clichéd as that sounds, it's true. I would know. How? Because I craved it so much. I knew that Shilo accepted me for who I was, and that was my saving grace more times than I would've liked to count. 

****

I told Laetitia about it, one day. While we were sitting in the room together. It was Shilo's birthday, and I couldn't stop thinking about him. I couldn't even remember what he looked like without looking at a photo of him. And I can't remember what flavor of ice cream he used to like, because he liked so many. 

I told her about how guilty I felt. For nearly forgetting him. For no longer feeling the pain of losing him, just a dull emptiness where he used to be. For picking up a gun. For forgetting his favorite flavor of ice cream. For all of this shit.

"How could I do that? I hate myself. And I'm never going to forgive myself." I said.

She just laughed. "When haven't you stopped forgiving yourself?" Laetitia asked. 

****

You know what's the worst thing of all? I'm _moving on_. I don't want to move on. They all say, 'Oh, moving on's a good thing. It shows that you're coping with the loss.' Well, I don't want to cope. Moving on and coping means that I'd forget. Forget what it was like to have Shilo threaten those idiot bitches for not leaving me alone. And to forget how he taught me to breakdance. Or how he taught me to play basketball just as well as all the other guys. If I wasn't a mutant, I might even have made it into college basketball, and maybe even the WNBA. 

But then Shilo had to go die. And I had to be a damn mutant. And… and everything just went downhill from there. I will not cry. I will NOT cry! But I want to so badly, and…

Laetitia says that crying helps. I really wouldn't know. Even after I let myself cry, I just feel even worse afterwards. I feel weak, and ashamed. I hate being weak and ashamed. She tells me that I'm not weak for crying, but what the fuck does she know? She's damn well fucking invincible. Just like Shilo.

You know what's the worst thing? I think she's replacing him. I'm trading Shilo for Laetitia. Using one to replace the gap left by the other. Slowly, bit by bit. And that's the real reason for the guilt. 

Not because I'm forgetting Shilo. I'll never forget Shilo. Not unless some idiot telepath like Ryan goes and does some mind trick on me and wipes my mind. No, I'll never forget Shilo. Not what he did for me, or what he meant to me. I might forget what flavor of ice cream he liked, or what pair of shoes he wanted, but then again, those were never important, were they?

And despite my not wanting to move on, I actually am. I'm coping, and growing and becoming stronger and surviving. Because that's what I do. Survive. And I suppose that since I've always needed somebody to help and guide me, I've found myself somebody. 

She's so different from Shilo. They're so different, but so much the same, too. I think that to a certain extent, she scares me. The things that she does, sometimes, or that look she gets in her eyes when the prospect of a fight comes up. Its like she _enjoys _the killing, and the blood, and the fighting. But she's always around when I'm in trouble, and she's always there to say the right words. Not the words to make me feel better, because feeling better isn't what life is about. Shilo said that. He was full of wisdom like that. 

And Laetitia's like that, too.

She knows me so well, it's frightening. It's like she can read my mind. Because she's always right, somehow. Like how Shilo always was right. And when she hugs me, its like I can feel Shilo hugging me, too. They're so alike, and yet so different.

And I feel guilty. Because on the anniversary of my brother's death, I'm thinking about the woman who's taken his place, filled the void that he's left. 

I feel like I'm cheating on him, and there's guilt, but yet it doesn't stop me from coming back to Laetitia for her love and acceptance.

It sickens me.

And it warms my heart, too.

I hate myself.

****

The End

****

Well… that was… weird. I suppose I shouldn't ever read it again, because I'd hate it. This is dedicated to all those people who've lost someone close to them, and the pain that they go through. I'm probably entirely off the mark when it comes to how you feel, but, well, I don't know what to think. I should go to sleep, now. Before I lose my mind and write even more dark, depressing stuff. 


	58. 8th Interlude: Return to Innocence

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: This interlude takes place right after Diana and Suzuka leave the room.

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Eight Interlude: Return to Innocence

***

The door closed, and the sound of Diana and Suzuka's footsteps faded away as the two girls walked down the hallway. West moved slightly, restlessly, torn out of his sleep as the door was closed. He blinked, took a moment to remember where he was, and for a long, blissful second, everything was perfect. Prue was down the hallway somewhere, already awake, he was sure of that - she was a morning person, and loved the mornings as much as he himself hated them, and-

-And reality intruded on his happy fantasy, twisting his thoughts, bringing back memories of pain and blood and death, a dark alley downtown, and-

__

No...

West curled up under the covers, strangling a sob, and felt his eyes burn once again with heavy tears. Next to him Deirdre moved, forced back to the harsh reality by his sudden movements, and West felt her curl up next to him, instinctively searching for someone - anyone - to make the pain go away and make her feel safe again. 

For a moment, they just lay there in silence, unconsciously drawing support from each other, from the peace that so often accompanied the presence of a friend. West closed his eyes, resting for a moment between sleep and consciousness, listening to the sound of their heartbeats, then-

"Make me forget?"

The words were hardly more than a whisper and West opened his eyes and found Deirdre watching him intently. Wide eyes; very young, very innocent...and all too weary for someone who was barely a child. 

West closed his eyes briefly, then looked at her.

"Don't ask me to do that," he replied softy, pleadingly. Did the girl even have any idea of what she was asking him to do? To deliberately erase her memories, to take away the past day of her life, to...to make her forget?

He suppressed a shiver at the thought. Forcing a friend to forget? No...he'd already caused enough damage with his powers - first his parents, then the people he met on the road...he couldn't do this.

"Don't ask that of me," West repeated, almost inaudibly, and Deirdre looked at him with desperation in her eyes.

"West, please," she pleaded, tears starting to gather in the corners of her eyes. "I know it won't bring Prue back, but at least I won't have to remember what happened. Every time I close my eyes, I see Nike draw her knife, and Prue backing away from her, and Jhonen stopping me before I could help, and..." 

Deirdre's self-control finally broke down, and the tears started anew. She curled up in West's arms, crying against his T-shirt, and West could feel the tears wet the fabric. 

"Don't-don't make me remember," Deirdre pleaded between sobs. "Please don't make me remember..."

West hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do, then put his arms around the girl and held her while she cried. He could feel his own tears run down his cheek, down to the pillow, but didn't move to dry them away.

Prue was gone. Prue was gone, and he'd left her behind in that cold, dark alley, alone and helpless, and...he'd left her. What did his tears matter compared to that? They didn't. Nothing did.

Prue had been his friend. She'd trusted him even though she knew what could happen if he lost control of his powers. He'd told her more than once to leave him before anything happened to her, but she'd just laughed and told him to calm down. And for a few, short moments he'd actually believed that everything would be okay, that he wouldn't lose Prue like his cursed powers had forced away so many other people he cared about. 

She'd trusted him...she'd trusted him, and he'd betrayed her.

__

Traitor, his conscience mocked.

__

No...

__

Some friend you turned out to be, the voice continued, but West just held Deirdre tighter, both comforted and frightened by her presence. Deirdre trusted him, too - trusted him to take care of her, to make it all go away. She trusted him enough to ask him to make her forget; trusted that he had enough control to stop before he accidentally took too many of her memories. 

__

Make me forget, she'd asked, never realizing that it was the one thing West feared the most

Being cursed with the power to erase memories had given West a unique perspective of things. During his first, lonely year on the road, when he didn't trust himself enough be make friends, he'd spend a lot of long, cold nights thinking. About his life, his past, his future, and most importantly his powers.

Like everybody else, he had some childhood memories he would have preferred to forget - his long-time crush who'd turned him down because he wasn't part of the in-crowd, for one - but after he found himself with the power to actually erase memories for other people, his view of things had changed drastically. 

Memories made people who they were. Memories were their past, and the foundation to their future. Memories were the reason behind every reaction, every odd, little quirk, every aspect of their personalities.

And as West had realized - if you started to erase certain memories, things would go wrong. Maybe not with one memory, or two, or ten, but eventually the foundation to their future would be so weakened by holes, that it - that *they* - would break down.

He'd seen it happen.

It had been a girl he'd met on the streets, not much older than West himself, but she had been on her own for far longer than he had. She had called herself a Seer, said that she could see the truth.

Maybe she could - she'd known about his mutation the moment she saw him.

She'd asked - no, begged - him to make the memories go away, to make her forget about the pain and blood and violence, about the drugs and customers on the streets, about the things her power made her see.

And West, in his infinite stupidity, had agreed. A few memories at first, then more as she came back to him. Like a drug, she'd become addicted to his power, addicted to the feeling of making all the bad things go away. West had been unable to say no to her - he knew what it felt like to hurt, and he'd only wanted to help her, even though he knew that it was probably a bad idea. And finally, when her memory was all but gone, ridden with holes, and she could barely remember who she was...

...She'd gone insane.

__

Make me forget.

And now Deirdre lay curled up in his arms, crying, begging him to make it all go away, trusting him to help her... 

...And as a friend, the only help he could give her was to refuse her plea.

__

Heartless. Uncaring. Bastard, his conscience spat out, emphasizing every biting word. 

__

No...I'm just trying to help her, West objected weakly. _I'm not..._

__

Traitor.

West forced himself to ignore the harsh words and focus on the girl in his arms instead.

"Deirdre...I wish I could help you, I really do," he whispered. "But taking away the memories will only make it worse. I know it hurts, I know you just want it to go away, but...I can't help you. Please understand," he added, almost pleading. "I don't want to hurt you..."

Deirdre sniffed and dried her eyes, but didn't pull away from West.

"I know," she replied with a small sigh. "I just...I just wanted it to go away, you know? Make it stop..."

West just nodded and held her, trying to calm down the girl. And for a moment he felt better - if nothing else, he could be there for Deirdre and help her that way. Focusing on someone else made the pain a little easier to bear, made him able to push away the feeling of loss if only for a brief moment.

Deirdre's breathing slowly evened out as she fell asleep again, escaping into the safety of her dreams where they were still in New York, still safe in their apartment above the martial arts school, never knowing the pain of losing a dear friend...

West watched the sleeping girl for a moment, envying her the peaceful expression on her face, then closed his eyes, alone with his grief once more.

***


	59. 9th Interlude: Heartbeat

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: VivaGlam: Thank you for putting that nagging little fear of mine to rest - I was starting to doubt myself (and the future chapters) for a moment :P 

Ageless: Talents? *g* You mean the nasty plotbunnies you sic on me via ICQ? Talents, indeed ^^. Oh, and remember that discussion we had about who was to blame for Prue's death? I used some of that wonderful monologue you posted. You'll know it when you see it *g*

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Ninth Interlude: Heartbeat

***

Ryan heard the door close with a faint click, then looked at Diana. She stood in front of him; arms crossed defiantly, a gesture which - much to Ryan's frustration - only served to highlight the curves on her body. Probably on purpose, too, he realized.

Christ, what had he gotten himself into?

Diana sent him a pointed glare, silently daring him to say something. When it became obvious that Ryan had no intentions of speaking up - and most likely get himself into even deeper trouble - Diana decided to make the first move.

"Ryan-"

"No," Ryan interrupted, knowing all too well what she was about to say. "Not now. The more important thing first - what happened during the night?"

Diana faltered slightly, taking a moment to consider her words.

"How much did Kyle tell you?" she asked.

Ryan leaned against the wall, his face devoid of feelings, but behind the careful facade, Diana could sense a maelstrom of emotions - sadness, anger, grief, pain...hate? Diana looked at him sharply, not liking what she sensed, but Ryan continued before she could say anything.

"He told me the basics," he replied. "That he and West found Prue...dead, and Deirdre unconscious, and that they barely escaped the police. I hoped you could give me a clearer image of what's going on."

Diana sighed.

"I talked to Deirdre earlier, and she told me what happened. Apparently, Blade, Nike, and Melee were behind it...," Diana explained, then paused, biting her lower lip. "...Along with Jhonen."

Ryan's head snapped up, the emotionless facade gone in a heartbeat.

"Jhonen?" he demanded.

Diana nodded, forcing herself to push aside her anger towards their traitorous teammate. Ryan had enough to deal with without adding her fury to the list.

"He was there with them," she explained, almost managing to keep the anger out of her voice. "He...he lead them to 'Dre and Prue, and stopped 'Dre when she tried to help Prue."

Ryan shook his head slightly, the shock obvious on his face.

"God, Jhonen, what are you doing...?" he whispered, stunned by this sudden turn of events. Like Diana, he'd had a hard time believing that Jhonen would really turn on them - Jhonen was a good kid, he knew that.

__

Had been a good kid, he mentally corrected himself. This new development showed clearer than words ever could that the Jhonen they'd known was gone, probably for good. 

__

It didn't take them long to corrupt him, Ryan noted with a certain bitterness. Even through the anger he felt, there was also the feeling of failure - he'd promised Jhonen to take care of him, that he would be safe with the Guardians. Jhonen had trusted Ryan to protect him, and in the end, Ryan couldn't even protect him from himself.

No...not himself. Ryan had failed to protect Jhonen from the Shadow Alliance...and Blade in specific. And he should have seen it coming, shouldn't he? This was a game to Blade, an amusing pastime when nothing more interesting turned up. And Jhonen, innocent, harmless Jhonen, had been the perfect thing to grab from the Guardians and turn into something dark and twisted.

But it had gone too far this time. Because of Blade, an innocent girl would never grow up, never fall in love, never get married, never know the joy of seeing her firstborn child for the very first time. Prue was dead, and nothing - *nothing* - would bring her back. And West...the boy would be traumatized for years to come.

Thing had gotten out of control, and something had to be done before anyone else lost their life.

__

You were wrong about me, Blade - I'm not some harmless, little kid, trying to play hero. It's time to end this game, and we'll end it *my* way, Ryan thought coldly.

Although Diana couldn't hear what Ryan was thinking, she *did* feel the sudden coldness that surrounded him, followed by a shiver down her spine. 

"Ryan?" she asked, torn between concern and uneasiness. She'd felt coldness like that before, but never in Ryan - in many ways, he'd been her pillar of support in a ruthless, confusing world. Always there for her; strong, supportive, warm, caring...not cold like this. Never, until now, and it unnerved her more than a bit.

Ryan looked at her, and suddenly realized that she'd sensed his angry emotions. Almost unconsciously he strengthened his mental shields, and Diana felt the coldness disappear behind his facade.

"I'll be fine," Ryan replied comforting. Diana opened her mouth to object, but Ryan stopped her before she could say anything. "What else happened?" he asked.

For a brief moment, Diana considered asking him about the sudden coldness, but decided to drop it. It could wait. Besides, she trusted Ryan - if it was important, he'd tell her, she knew that.

"I talked to Suzuka just before we came down here," Diana said. "It's bad. She doesn't hate Jhonen; it goes beyond that." The young empath hesitated for a moment, then continued. "She wants to kill him."

"Was she serious?" Ryan asked concerned. "She doesn't-"

"Oh, she was serious, alright," Diana replied with a sigh. "If she ever meet him again, she's going to kill him, Ryan, I don't doubt that."

"Damn!" Ryan muttered. "Is there anything we can do to talk her out of it?" he continued, a bit louder. "Anything at all?"

Diana shook her head. She didn't have to think about her reply - she had already twisted and turned every possible option in her head.

"No...you know her, Ryan. She hates traitors, and Jhonen took treachery to a whole new level. She won't give up until he's dead...or she is."

__

And if she goes after Jhonen alone and runs into the Shadow Alliance, it's most likely to end with the last option, she didn't add. She didn't have to - Ryan was thinking the very same thing. 

"We can't let her be alone, not until she's calmed down a bit," Ryan decided. "Is Kyle with her now?"

"I think so - he's been pretty concerned about her, so I think he'll probably keep close to her."

Ryan nodded.

"Good. We can talk to him and Ben later, and make sure that she won't be left alone. I don't think she'll be stupid enough to go after Jhonen alone, but let's not take any chances," he said. "Anything else?"

"Just one more thing," Diana replied and smiled with deceptive innocence.

"What?" Ryan asked - and he should have seen her answer coming a mile away. Unfortunately, the painkillers made it hard to think straight, and his brain was working a lot slower than normal.

"I want an explanation, Ryan," Diana said and sent him a pointed look. "You kissed me last night, and all but told me that you were romantically interested in me. You're not getting out of this one - we need to sort this out. Now."

"Diana, I was barely conscious," Ryan replied tiredly, deliberately bending the truth a bit - he'd gone too far, he knew that, but with a little luck Diana would accept his explanation. "I didn't even know what I was doing."

"Liar," Diana accused in a low voice. "You were conscious enough to talk coherently. What's wrong? Is it me? Am I too ugly for you? Or is my hair the wrong color?"

Ryan sighed exasperatedly, and couldn't help but feeling that he was getting in way over his head. This wasn't how it should have gone - Diana should have accepted his explanation and left it at that. Things were confusing enough as it was; he didn't want to add their relationship to the list.

"No, it's not you, Diana, you're beautiful, and you know that. It's..." Ryan trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"What?" Diana asked. "What's wrong, Ryan?"

Ryan shook his head in a tired motion, thankful that the painkillers had already set in. It might not be a good idea to have a conversation like this when you weren't entirely clear in the head, but it was far better than having the argument while your entire body hurt.

"You're sixteen," Ryan tried to explain. "What you're feeling...it's not love, it's a crush, and I don't want to hurt you by taking advantage of that."

Diana glared at him, annoyed with the over-protectiveness he showed. She wasn't a little girl anymore - she could make her own decisions, and she was not going to be dissuaded by his ill timed sense of honor. 

"You're not taking advantage of me - I'm not some immature girl, who doesn't know what she's getting into," Diana replied, with just a hint of anger. "I'm perfectly capable of making my own choices!" 

"Diana, listen to me," Ryan said, putting as much weight behind his words as he could in his current state. "I'm seven years older than you...that alone should make you stop and think about what you're getting into. Take my advice - find yourself a nice guy your own age, and not someone with the emotional luggage that I have. For your own sake, Diana...I don't want to see you hurt."

Diana raised her head defiantly, refusing to back down, and met Ryan's serious look without blinking.

"No."

The reply was simple, but delivered with the challenging tone that only rebellious teenagers truly mastered - and after a yearlong crush on Ryan, Diana's frustration with him put more than a bit of strength behind her words.

"Damnit, Diana!" Ryan cursed softly, but there was no anger in his words, only tired resignation. "Why can't you do as I tell you to just this once?"

"Because you're making a mistake," Diana replied softly voice. "Stop being afraid, Ryan. You won't hurt me, and you're not taking advantage of me."

Ryan didn't respond, and encouraged by the uncertainty in his eyes, Diana took a step closer, deciding that it was time to sort their relationship out once and for all. Maybe he'd reject her, maybe he wouldn't - either way Diana wanted to know. She wanted certainty, even if Ryan's decision might hurt her. 

Diana reached up and put her arms around Ryan's neck, deliberately pressing herself closer to him.

"I'm not a little girl, Ryan, not anymore" she whispered, and their sudden closeness only served to emphasize her point.

No, the female body Ryan now found himself pressed against was definitely not the body of a young girl, and it didn't help the least on his uncertainty. Physically speaking, she was a well-developed young woman. Mentally speaking...Christ, she was just a teenager - this was a *crush*, nothing else. Ryan sighed, unconsciously resting his hands on her hips, and tried to figure out what to say. 

"Diana-"

"No," Diana replied and shook her head. "I don't want to wait forever, Ryan. All I want is an answer...don't you think you owe me that, at least?"

__

Diana...please...

Ryan wanted to tell again her that it would never work out, that she should pick someone her own age, but found that he couldn't. Her body fit so perfectly with his, pressed close together as they were. Nobody knew him as well as she did - not even Kyle - and more than once she'd been his pillar of support when times had been difficult. It would be so easy...

__

No.

He couldn't do this to her. She deserved someone her own age, someone who had yet to become jaded and cynical. It might hurt her now, but it would be better in the long run. He had morals and a conscience, and he wasn't going to take advantage of a young girl's crush.

"Diana..." he began quietly. "I love you as a friend and confidant, you know that, but this...it wouldn't work out. I'm sorry." 

He'd expected anger or disappointed from the girl in his arms - disbelief, even - but there was none of that. There was only the faintest of smiles on her lips, like she knew a secret that he didn't. 

"Liar," she whispered. "If you hadn't been attracted to me, you would have let go of me by now."

It took a moment for Ryan to realize that he was still touching her hips, unconsciously keeping her close to him. Mortified, he let go, but Diana had already made her point. Acting on instincts, she raised her head slightly and kissed him gently. She waited for a moment, then drew away again.

"Go on - tell me you didn't like that," she challenged.

__

Don't do this to me, Ryan pleaded silently. _I don't want to hurt you._

__

You won't, Diana replied, and he could feel the smile the accompanied the words. _Trust me, Ryan. Please._

She kissed him again, and Ryan could feel the last of his objections disappear as her lips touched his. He'd tried the best he could to dissuade her, but it hadn't worked. And what could he do? He was still very much a male, and there was a limit to how long he could resist the gorgeous, young woman who was all but throwing herself at him.

__

Diana...

His resistance was all but gone, and they both knew it.

__

Trust me..., Diana whispered, and finally Ryan gave in. He deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist, and felt Diana respond to his touch. A wave of emotions radiated from her - love, care, hope, satisfaction - but beneath it all was a trust so complete that it almost scared him. And this was wrong, his conscience told him that, but at that moment Ryan didn't care - the only thing that mattered was the girl in his arms and the softness of her lips.

Slowly, reluctantly, they broke the kiss, and Diana smiled and rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying his closeness. It felt...right. Perfect. Ryan returned the smile, watching her silently, and felt some of the weight disappear from his shoulders. 

And for the briefest of moments, everything was perfect.

***


	60. Birth of a Leader

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: Ageless: Babe, if I used some of your more interesting monologues, there's a good chance that we'd have to kick the rating to NC-17 *smirks and ducks to avoid the heavy objects being hurled at her*

Archangel: *evil grin* As very tempting as the idea is, I promised Fortune (yes, *her* - my current pain in the ass muse) to be a little nicer to the heroes. Duke it out with her if you want to - I'm not going anywhere near that railgun ;)

VivaGlam: Looking forward to the piccie, then ^^

Rascal: *smug grin*

A/N 3: All those various character ficlets and the like have been collected on one page: **sorciere.freeservers.com / journey / index.html** (that's also where the future chapters will be posted if ff.net crashes again). If anyone have anything to add to the page, mail it to me, and I'll put it up. 

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Forty-Seven: Birth of a Leader

***

Dawn came too soon for the unmoving shadow that sat by the window, legs curled up under her, and eyes weary from long, sleepless hours. Night had come and night had passed, all too fast for her taste. She'd slept a bit, but woken up in the dark, restless and uneasy. She needed to think, needed to consider her options, but there hadn't been nearly enough time to do so. 

The first rays of sun hit her pale face, and she instinctively moved slightly to avoid the sudden brightness. She didn't want day to come yet - she needed more time. She wasn't ready...and she wasn't sure she'd ever be.

Hal sighed, and quietly slipped down from the windowsill. 

It wasn't that she couldn't lead the team - she was pretty sure she could get them to Denver without too many problems - it was more the fact that she had four people suddenly counting on her. She wasn't used to being responsible for others in that way, and she didn't like it one bit. When she'd been on her own, she'd counted on no one but herself and her wit to survive. Even after she'd teamed up with Zach, they had still taken care of themselves first, and then the other.

__

Why me?

Hal had asked herself that question countless times during the night, but had found no clear answer. It didn't make sense; nothing did. Not the sudden assignment, not Blade's decision of making her temporary leader, not Zach's slight edginess around Jordane. 

She'd tried to catch of a glimpse of the future during the night, but it hadn't worked. The possible time-lines had multiplied too fast for her to keep track of all of them, and she'd been forced to give up, leaving her with countless unanswered questions and a bad headache.

They hadn't even gotten any explanations, and that was perhaps the worst of it all. They *knew* something was going on. It took a lot to make Blade react like he had yesterday, and whatever it was, it hadn't been good news.

They were a team - they deserved to know what was going on, didn't they?

"Close the damn curtains," Pheonix complained sleepily and pulled the covers closer to block the sun from her vision.

"Sorry," Hal mumbled and did as she was told. 

Pheonix spent a minute moving around restlessly in her bed, then sighed and sat up with a groggy look on her face.

"Nevermind...can't sleep again, anyway." She yawned, and took a moment to survey the room, then noticed the untouched bed next to her own. "Where's Lae?"

"She hasn't come back yet," Hal replied, pushing her gloomy thoughts aside. "I think she slept somewhere else." 

Pheonix blinked, taking a moment to catch up with Hal's words.

"Wait...you mean you haven't slept all night? You're crazy," she mumbled and pulled the covers closer, reluctant to get out of bed. She was a night-person by heart, always would be, but she also preferred to sleep in whenever she'd been up late. She wasn't the kind of person who could sleep a few hours a night and still be well-rested. 

Staying up late was a habit she'd gotten while she still lived with Shilo - she had rarely taken school seriously, and there were so many interesting things to do at night. Yeah, the streets had been dangerous by night, but as long as you went out in groups, and kept to the places where people hung out - the basketball courts, the skating ramps, the places where people breakdanced with music blaring from their ghettoblasters - you were fairly safe. Pheonix loved the night, and sleeping until noon the next day only made it better.

"I slept a couple of hours," Hal defended herself. "I just...I needed to think."

Pheonix looked at her, slowly starting to wake up.

"About leading the team? You can handle that - we trust you," she said and shrugged, then picked some random clothes from her bag. "'Sides, it's only a week."

"Yeah," Hal sighed, feeling marginally better. Pheonix was right - it was only a week. She could handle that. And it wasn't like there would be any important decisions to make...they just had to get to Denver and find the motel, that was all. Yeah...she could handle that.

Hal watched silently as Pheonix got dressed, then shook her head to clear her mind. She was supposed to lead - she might as well start now.

"Let's go have a talk with the guys, and figure out what we should do," she decided. 

Pheonix just nodded and put on her blue sunglasses, more of habit than anything else, then headed out the door. Hal hesitated for a moment, then followed her.

Yeah...she could do this.

***

As it turned out, the boys were only a bit more awake than Hal and Pheonix were. Aaron, already fully dressed, rested on his bed, enjoying the sunlight with a distinctive snake-like drowsiness, and pointedly ignored Zach's muttered curses as the older boy tried to find all his things in the mess around his bed. 

"You better be dressed!" Pheonix yelled from the hallway, and opened the door without bothering to wait for a reply. Aaron turned his head slightly to look at her.

"And if we hadn't been?" he asked with a smirk.

Pheonix sent him a disgusted look, but didn't reply, and Aaron smiled lazily. Hal took a brief look around, frowning as she realized that one of the room's occupants was missing. Before she could ask, though, Jhonen appeared from the bathroom, clad only in one of the white towels. Hal raised an eyebrow in wry amusement, and Jhonen blushed, quickly pulling the towel tighter around his body.

"Don't worry, Jhonen. You don't have anything I haven't seen before," Hal smirked, amused by the boy's expression. 

Jhonen hurried to his bed, and snatched some clothes before hurrying into the bathroom again. When he reappeared a few minutes later, he was fully dressed, and almost managed not to blush as Hal sent him another wry smile. Zach pointedly ignored the lot of them and tossed the last of his things on the bed before finally turning his attention to the others.

"So? Any particular reason why you suddenly show up in our room, or did you just miss our company?" he smirked. 

"Dream on, Zachary," Hal replied, then turned a bit more serious. "Actually, we're here because we need to find out what we're going to do."

Aaron frowned and finally got out of his ray of sunshine to pay attention to the conversation.

"I think it would be easier to decide if we knew what was going on," he said. "The only thing Laetitia told us was that they had something to do, and that you would get temporary leadership of the team."

Hal sighed.

"Blade didn't tell me much more than Nike told you - he said it was a favor they owed to a friend, but it didn't sound particularly friendly to me. He also said that if they weren't at the motel in Denver within a week, we should get out of there, and not try to go back after them." 

"So it's pretty bad news," Zach summarized. Hal just nodded, then suddenly remembered something.

"Jhonen?" she asked, and the boy looked up. "Laetitia talked to you yesterday, didn't she? Did she tell you anything about what was going on? Anything at all?"

"No," Jhonen replied and shook his head. "Not about this."

Hal nodded absently, then returned to her discussion with Aaron and Zach, and Jhonen leaned against the wall, suddenly feeling very tired.

He'd tried to talk to Laetitia yesterday, but she'd been too busy to pay him much attention. That only served to make Jhonen even more confused about what was going on - he'd wanted to talk to her about that night in the ally, wanted her to make all his doubt and confusion go away. They hadn't talked much about it, except for that night in the motel room, after... 

Jhonen forced his mind away from that particular memory. Great as it had been, now was not the time to think about it. Things were confusing enough already; he didn't need to add anything to the list right now. He was confused about Laetitia, about their relationship, but mainly he was confused about himself.

He'd seen Laetitia kill Prue in cold blood. Seen her kill Prue and enjoy it...and he had done nothing to stop her. And not only that - he'd stopped Deirdre from helping Prue, and the most chilling part was...

He didn't regret it.

He knew he should - what Laetitia had done was wrong, there was no way of denying that, and still...he didn't regret it. Part of him couldn't help but think that they deserved it, that Ryan deserved it. He could have killed Laetitia with that mind-bolt. A little bit more strength behind, and...

Jhonen didn't want to think about that.

He sighed, frustration starting to show, and tried to force himself to think of something else. Right now everything was too confusing.

"Jhonen? Are you okay?"

He forced himself back to reality and found Pheonix watching him with a worried expression. Hal, Zach, and Aaron were still discussing their future course of action, oblivious to Jhonen's moment of inattentiveness.

Jhonen nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I was just...thinking."

"Know what you mean," Pheonix mumbled, low enough so that only Jhonen would hear it. "I don't like this, either."

Jhonen sent her a confused look, and Pheonix clarified.

"I mean Nike. She's been acting strange since they got that phone-call. She spent most of yesterday planning and she hasn't even slept in her bed tonight."

"Maybe they were busy," Jhonen suggested quietly, listening to the others' conversation with half an ear. "Whatever they're planning sounds like a bad job."

Pheonix shook her head.

"No, I know Nike. It's bad news when she starts to act like this. I tried to talk to her, but she just brushed me off."

"Yeah...me, too," Jhonen admitted. "She said she had to concentrate on the job."

Pheonix snorted.

"Job...she's always working. It's fucking annoying sometimes," she muttered under her breath.

"Pheonix? Jhonen?"

The two mutants looked up at the sound of Hal's voice.

"What?" Pheonix snapped. Hal just sent her an amused smile.

"I said, we're going to travel by the smaller roads and try to avoid the large cities. Five teenagers travelling together could easily make someone suspicious. Let's try to avoid people if we can," Hal repeated. "Do any of you have anything to add?"

Jhonen and Pheonix exchanged a look, then Jhonen shrugged.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

"Excellent," Hal said and smiled. "Zach, you drive the car, I'll take the 'rover. Let's get to work, people - I want us on the road in three hours."

Her teammates nodded, and returned to their packing. Hal watched them for a moment, then headed out of the door, actually feeling pretty good about herself.

Yeah...she could definitely handle this. 

***


	61. Truth and Deception

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: VivaGlam: *shrugs* I get critique, I reply to it. It's that simple. And Fortune and I agreed a long time ago that 'the Unholy Trinity' somehow fits them perfectly ^^

WritingMoose: *smirk* The bite-mark was Jordane's idea, and how could I possibly say 'no' to her? Oh, and Jhonen *can* talk to Prue - the question is if he wants to. *Thoughtful look* Maybe later on in the fic...I'll keep it in mind :)

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Forty-Eight: Truth and Deception

***

With the exception of Diana, Kyle was probably one of the people who knew Ryan best. Their friendship went back more than four years, and by now Kyle was generally able to guess Ryan's mood, both from his body language, but certainly also from the faint, telepathic connection that had slowly evolved between the two. The only situations when Kyle found himself at a loss when it came to Ryan, was the rare times when the telepath shut off the mental link they had. It was a rare occurrence, but it *did* happen.

This particular morning, though, there was no way Kyle could have missed the fact that something was bothering Ryan. Being a light sleeper, Kyle had woken up and found Ryan sitting in one of the chairs, studying the maps, despite of the fact that Ben had told him to take it easy and sleep in.

A quick look at the alarm clock confirmed Kyle's suspicion.

"Ryan, damnit," he groaned. "What are you doing up now? It's not even six yet."

Ryan looked up from the map, and at least had the decency to look a bit ashamed of himself.

"Sorry. Couldn't sleep," he replied, and returned to the maps.

__

Couldn't sleep. Right, Kyle thought, not believing Ryan's explanation for even a second. With a sigh he got out of bed and put on his clothes, then sat down heavily in the chair next to Ryan's. 

"So? Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" he asked.

Ryan sent him a brief look.

"Nothing's wrong. I just couldn't sleep. I guess Ben did a better job than he thought," he replied with forced casualness.

Kyle snorted.

"Nice try."

Ryan didn't reply, but kept studying the maps and pointedly ignored Kyle's comment.

"Ryan...we've been friends for what? Four years? I *know* you, and it's pretty damn obvious right now that something's bothering you," Kyle continued.

Ryan finally looked at Kyle, and for a long moment he just watched his friend. He considered his options for a moment, then sighed and shook his head.

"I kissed her," he admitted. 

Kyle blinked, surprised by the sudden admission. His still-tired mind desperately tried to keep up with Ryan's train of thought, but did a very poor job of it.

"Who?" he asked, then felt the first pieces of the puzzle fall into place as he realized something. "...You kissed *Diana*?"

The expression on Ryan's face was the only reply Kyle needed, and his eyes widened slightly.

__

Oh, damn...

It wasn't that Kyle had anything against the relationship - as long as both parties in question were happy, he really didn't care who people hooked up with - it was more that he knew Ryan...and more importantly, he knew how strong a sense of morality Ryan had. 

And even though Diana was obviously in love with Ryan, that morality was bound to get in the way sooner or later.

"What happened?" Kyle asked, encouraging Ryan to continue.

Ryan sighed again, then leaned against the wall.

"Long story...one of the times when I woke up while I was wounded, I...I kissed her. I didn't mean to, but..." he shook his head, trailing off. "We talked about it yesterday, after the rest of you had left the room. I tried to convince her that a relationship would be a bad idea, but she didn't want to listen."

__

And that surprises you? Kyle thought, not without a small bit of amusement. He knew how Diana felt about Ryan, and the fact that Ryan had kissed her had probably done nothing to help the situation. 

"So you kissed a girl who's in love with you, and then expected her to just accept that it would never work out," Kyle summarized.

"You're not helping, Kyle," Ryan replied and glared at him. He hesitated for a moment, then continued. "I kissed her again yesterday, and...I want to be with her, but I don't want to hurt her," Ryan continued, his frustration starting to show. "She's just a teenager - she doesn't even know what she's getting into!"

Well, that certainly explained a few things, Kyle realized. He'd spent most of the previous day watching over Suzuka, and just being there for her. Her, and West and Deirdre as well - he knew that it was limited how long Diana could keep up her mental shields around them, and he didn't want her to go through any more pain than she had to. But busy as he'd been, he hadn't missed the sudden change in Diana - there was still an air of sadness and tiredness around her, but beneath that, it seemed there was a certain, radiant glow. Kyle had dismissed it as a figment of his imagination, a need to see something other than pain and grief around him, but now...

Yeah...Ryan's admission certainly explained a few things.

But what was he supposed to do? Ryan had a point when he said that Diana was only a teenager. On the other hand, she often behaved older than she actually was. As far as Kyle could see, she was in love with Ryan - and had been for a long time, if Kyle's suspicions were correct - and Ryan...well, he'd just admitted that he wanted to be with Diana.

That pretty much settled it for Kyle. He wasn't sure how a relationship like this would turn out, and he knew that it would have a big effect on the team if it didn't work out between Ryan and Diana, but...

...They deserved a chance, didn't they?

__

Yeah.

"Does she look like she's 'just a teenager' to you?" Kyle asked with a wry smile, and Ryan sighed.

"That's the problem. I know she's..." he hesitated for a moment, trying to find a proper way to say it. "...grown up, and that she isn't a little girl or something, but she's *sixteen*! She doesn't know what she wants."

"She does a pretty good job as second in command," Kyle noted.

"It's not the same thing."

"No, it isn't, but you have to admit that she acts a lot more adult than most other sixteen-year-old girls," Kyle replied. "What's your *real* problem, Ryan? We both know that this whole 'she's not ready to make her own decisions'- thing isn't it." 

Ryan sighed.

"She's...I'm seven years older than her. She should find someone her own age, someone who doesn't have my emotional luggage."

"She doesn't *want* someone her own age. She wants *you*," Kyle said exasperated. 

"I feel like I'm taking advantage of her," Ryan confessed. "I feel like I'm some asshole taking advantage of an innocent girl's crush."

"Ryan...you're not taking advantage of her," Kyle sighed. "And knowing Diana, I doubt it's just a crush." Ryan didn't reply, and Kyle continued. "I don't think she's the problem - I think you are."

Ryan's head snapped up at that comment, but Kyle continued ruthlessly. 

"What is it? Are you scared of commitment? Or do you have issues with your self-esteem?" 

"Kyle, damnit!" Ryan snapped. "I don't want to hurt her, that's the problem!"

"You've already kissed her twice. Telling her now that it won't work out, will hurt her a lot more than a relationship ever could," Kyle pointed out. "You want to be with her, she wants to be with you...just give it a chance, damnit. If it works, fine. If not, well, at least you tried, and the two of you won't have to spend the rest of your lives wondering 'what if...'."

Ryan sighed. Kyle had a point; that was the worst part of it. At some level he'd hoped that Kyle could give him some reason not to get involved with Diana, could tell him that it was wrong, but looking back he realized that it had been a lost cause from the beginning.

He still felt a little guilty about his feelings for Diana, but a lot less after talking to Kyle. And Kyle was right, wasn't he? It would be better to see if they could make it work, than to spend the next decade wondering what would have happened if they'd taken a chance.

Ryan nodded slowly, then looked at his friend.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "I think I needed to hear that."

Kyle shrugged.

"Someone had to knock some sense into you." 

Ryan sent him a faint smile, and Kyle got out of the chair.

"Now turn the light off and go back to sleep. I'm tired, and I can't sleep with you fumbling with those damn maps."

Ryan grinned and complied, feeling a bit better about the situation with Diana. Maybe this could work out after all. 

***

Blade watched silently from the window as the two cars drove away. Laetitia was down there and had given the team some last-minute instructions - knowing her, it was probably something along the lines of 'kill them before they kill you' - and Jordane was resting in one of the chairs, tired from the long hours of planning.

Blade studied his partner in the reflection in the window, and could almost see her relax as she heard the two cars drive away. It only served to confirm his suspicion that something had happened between Jordane and Zach, and it made him glad that he had let Zach get out of reach before demanding an explanation from Jordane. Zach's power was a valuable asset, and it would be a shame to lose that asset permanently just because he let his anger get the better of him.

"Are you going to tell me what happened, Melee?" Blade asked, and turned around to look at the girl.

Jordane winced slightly at the sound of his voice. There was no anger like she'd expected, only an unnerving lack of emotions. 

It was a bad sign. 

Blade raised an eyebrow, waiting for her reply, and Jordane got out of the chair, forcing herself to act casually.

"Zach just wanted to talk to me, that's all," she explained, bending the truth just a little. Zach *had* wanted to talk...they had just got caught up in the moment.

Blade smiled faintly. Jordane was usually a good liar, but not when it came to people who knew her. Like so many other people, she had a few, bad habits that were a clear sign that she wasn't telling the truth.

"What happened, Jordane?" he repeated, and the girl looked away for a brief moment.

"Nothing!" she denied, and shook her head. "We were just talking! And it's none of your business, anyway!" 

She turned around to leave the room, but Blade was one step ahead of her. Before Jordane could react, Blade had pinned her against the wall, keeping her wrists in a solid grip above her head. He hadn't used nearly enough strength for it to hurt, but applied just enough pressure on her wrists to remind her who was in charge. 

Jordane tried to get free, but Blade was unrelenting. The thought that she could easily have gotten free if she'd let herself go into a rage, never even occurred to Jordane. Blade had spent many long, painstaking hours trying to teach her control, and they'd both had the bruises to show for it. At some point, it had started to feel wrong to use her power on the man that had saved her life, and by now it was an option she wouldn't even consider.

Blade sent a reproachful look, and Jordane looked away and stopped her struggle to get loose.

"Well?"

Jordane hesitated for a moment, then sighed. It was only a matter of time before he'd find out the truth, they both knew that.

"He kissed me," she admitted.

Blade let go of her and took a step back.

"What?!" he demanded, and this time his anger was obvious.

"We-we were just talking, and then...we got caught up in the moment. It wasn't his fault, Blade. It didn't mean anything," she pleaded, for the first time in her life feeling a genuine fear of him.

"'Got caught up in the moment'?" Blade repeated, and the cold fire in his eyes was echoed by his voice.

"He didn't think about what he was doing, and I was too shocked to stop him," Jordane explained hurriedly. "It didn't mean anything, believe me." 

She looked at him, eyes begging him to understand, and Blade felt some of his anger fade away. It was hard for him to stay mad at her for long, even during circumstances like this. He cared about Jordane, and her sudden fear of him felt almost like a physical pain. He reached out and caressed her cheek, barely touching her skin, and could see the girl relax slightly at the gesture.

"I'm not mad at you, Jordane," he said quietly, soothingly, and let his lips brush across hers in a feather-like kiss. "It wasn't your fault." 

Jordane leaned closer, and let herself melt into his embrace, feeling the fear in her mind dissolve into nothing. Another kiss, this time deeper, more passionate, then Jordane leaned against his chest, listening to the comforting sound of his heartbeat.

Blade watched the girl in his arms for a moment, and could feel her muscles relax under his touch. So trusting, so responsive to him...it hadn't been her fault. Her loyalty was too strong for that. Zach, on the other hand...

Blade cast a brief look out the window, in the direction where the cars had left.

__

You and I have a few things to discuss when we meet again, Zachary...you can count on that.

***


	62. United They Stand

Next chapter might be a bit late since I'm away for most of the weekend, and it's one of those chapters that takes a while to write *sigh*. Sorry.

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: SilentPegasus: Let's just say that Jordane and Blade have a...unique past together, and that there's a reason why she's so devoted to him *smirk*

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

Oh, and a pyrokinetic is a mutant who can control fire.

***

Chapter Forty-Nine: United They Stand...

***

In retrospect, it was nothing short of a miracle that no one had realized what was happening in Chicago. Sure, the speculations had been numerous, they all knew that - everything from riots and protests, to genocide and all-out war.

Those speculations often brought a cynical smirk to those who knew what was really going on. History wouldn't repeat itself - the riots they had started nine years earlier had been a failure, it was that simple. Those riots had claimed the lives of countless of innocent humans, and even when compared to the impressive number of mutants that had died, it was a price that was unacceptable. 

They were the Friends of Humanity, not a group of insane killers who were just looking for something to kill. They had devoted their lives to protecting the human race, not to harming it in their fight against mutants.

But they'd realized their mistakes, and they had learned from them. Riots, war, protests - it was disorganized and a danger to the innocent humans who might get in the way. There were better ways to deal with the mutants - through mutant internment camps, through power-suppressive drugs and collars, through the systematical removal of the most dangerous mutants. The government had been more than willing to give them the names of the known mutants, and had already dispatched patrols to bring them in. Seemingly over night the city had become populated by FoH soldiers, many of them brought in from the surrounding cities. Checkpoints had been set up on the main roads, cutting off anyone who would feel tempted to run. 

They'd learned, and they had become better. This time they were prepared and knew what to expect. This time they were organized and well equipped, and this time they would make sure not to let things get out of hand. This time they would clean out one city at a time, and use the advantage their sheer number gave.

They had failed once.

They would not fail again.

***

The uniforms.

That was the first sign that something was wrong. Sure, it wasn't uncommon to see a couple of FoHs in the streets, but it had never been a problem - they were easily avoided, and unless there were many of them, they were rarely out to cause any trouble

But something had changed, seemingly over night. The number of dark green and black uniforms in the street was unnerving - it was unusual to see so many FoHs in one town, and when it happened, it was usually a bad sign.

Kyle cast a brief look at a passing military jeep, then focused on the road again. The rumors that West had passed on to them kept running through his mind, again and again, reminding him of every atrocity the FoH might be planning, each worse than its predecessor. 

__

It doesn't have to mean anything, just because there are more FoHs than usual.

...But wasn't that what the mutants had said nine years earlier, only days before the continent went up in flames?

Kyle took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down. Whatever the FoH had planned was undoubtedly bad news, but with a little luck the Guardians would be far away from Chicago before things turned worse. They were almost out of the city - they would reach one of the main roads soon, and follow it to Omaha. 

Yes...they would be far away by the time anything happened.

__

If something *will* happen. You're paranoid, Sanderson, his voice of reason whispered, voicing the small fears in the back of Kyle's mind. Fear that he was overreacting. Fear that he was turning into some paranoid nutcase.

Kyle snorted.

Paranoid...yeah, maybe, but in this case he could almost *feel* the tension as they approached the larger roads. Something was wrong, he was sure of that.

Besides...better paranoid than dead, right?

They drove around a corner, and Kyle felt a ripple of shock run through the faint, telepathic link he'd established with Ryan, followed by a rush of adrenaline as his body reacted to what it perceived as a danger.

__

Ryan?

There was no reply, but the shock faded, leaving a constant, humming worry behind, and finally Kyle was able to look past Ryan's car to see what had caused his reaction.

A checkpoint.

Kyle's hands tensed around the steering wheel, and he took a deep breath to calm down. A look at the area ahead of them revealed that it wasn't as bad as it could have been - the checkpoint was nowhere near the size of the one they'd run into in New York, but it was bad enough. This one had been set up with military precision; everything organized and under control, swarming with soldiers, and with none of the chaotic atmosphere that the one in New York had been surrounded by. 

Well, that certainly explained the tension in the air, didn't it? 

"Kyle..." Suzuka said, motioning towards the checkpoint, but Kyle shook his head.

"Not now. I need to talk to Ryan," he replied, and Suzuka nodded and fell silent.

__

Ryan? Kyle asked silently. _Any ideas?_

__

Not really, Ryan admitted. _Hopefully, I'll be able to convince them to let us through. Otherwise..._ He trailed off, and Kyle frowned.

__

Are you sure you're ready to manipulate that many minds?

__

Ben did a good job healing me. I'll be fine.

Kyle nodded slowly, still not entirely convinced, but they didn't really have a choice. With a small sigh he followed the other car closer to the checkpoint, then fell into line behind it.

"Kyle? What's the plan?"

This time it was Ben who asked, and Kyle finally looked at his two teammates.

"We'll lay low, and Ryan will convince them to let us through," he replied.

"And if he can't?" Suzuka demanded, no doubt remembering what had happened when they'd tried to pass the checkpoint in New York. 

"He can handle it, Suzuka," Kyle said quietly, and the girl sank back into her seat again, keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings. Ben waited a moment, then accepted the statement as well and turned his attention to the people outside.

__

He can handle it, Kyle repeated silently. _...He has to._

***

Not surprising, the first sign of danger came from Ryan. Kyle was sitting in the car, absently thinking about the past few days, when he felt a ripple of worry through the telepathic link.

__

Ryan? What's happening? Kyle asked concerned and took a quick look at the area around them, drawing the attention of the other mutants in the car.

__

I'm not sure - something's going on up ahead. The level of tension is almost giving me a headache, Ryan replied.

__

Anything we should worry about? Kyle asked and felt Ryan frown.

__

I'm not sure...I don't like this. Something's wrong. I'm trying to scan the minds of some of the people further up, but... Ryan trailed off. _I'll pass it on to you if I find anything._

Kyle nodded, and shook his head lightly to clear his thoughts, then looked at the others.

"Ryan says something is going on up ahead," he said. "He's not sure what it is, but he'll be in touch."

"Anything dangerous?" Ben asked with a frown. 

"He's not sure," Kyle admitted. "But he'll do what he can to find out."

Ben and Suzuka exchanged a brief look, then nodded. It was obvious to Kyle that they - like him - were starting to feel slightly edgy, but they also knew that asking more questions wouldn't help. Kyle had told them what he knew, and until Ryan contacted them, there was nothing they could do but wait.

Kyle closed his eyes, and took a moment to relax, letting his thoughts drift. The faint feeling of a mental touch against his mind quickly brought him back to reality, though, and his eyes snapped open.

__

What did you find? he asked silently.

__

I'm not sure yet. I think I've managed to get into the mind of one of the soldiers. He--- Ryan stopped abruptly, and the feeling of shock that followed was strong enough to make Kyle gasp and grab his head in pain. 

__

Ryan-

__

Shit! Back! We have to get out of here, now! Ryan snapped. _Go!_

Kyle reacted instinctively and had already put the gear in reverse before he got the chance to take a look at the situation behind them - more cars arrived by the minute, creating an efficient traffic jam that stretched across the entire road. 

__

Road's blocked! _We can't get out. What-?_

__

Get out of the car, now! Ryan ordered, and Kyle could see the doors in the other car open. Whatever was going on, it was enough to make Ryan seriously freaked out, Kyle could feel that much. Christ...

"We have to get out, now!" Kyle snapped, and opened the door to the driver's seat. Neither Ben nor Suzuka hesitated but followed him out, knowing better than to ask questions at a time like this.

__

Ryan-

__

That tension - they've cornered a pyrokinetic, Ryan explained hurriedly.

__

How bad? Kyle asked, and followed Ryan and the others towards the buildings at the side of the road, away from the potentially deadly situation that was developing. 

__

Bad enough - I haven't been able to locate the mutant, but the soldiers are worried.

"Pyrokinetic," Kyle explained quickly to Ben and Suzuka, but before he could elaborate, the screeching of tires interrupted him, followed by the loud crash of cars colliding.

Kyle spun around, vaguely awake that Ben and Suzuka did the same, and felt his eyes widened at the sight that greeted him. Ryan had been right - it was bad. Several of the cars in the front had collided in a futile attempt to get out, and their owners were now trying their best to get away. Kyle looked around, frantically searching for the source of the threat, then-

-Part of the building at the opposite side of the road exploded in an inferno, sending flames and burning pieces of debris into the air. Screeching, then crashes as cars tried to get away, but failed. 

Kyle tried to move, to get anyway, but his body refused to react. Even as his mind fought to get him to react, he found himself staring at the inferno, terrified, and morbidly fascinated. 

__

KYLE!

Ryan's mental shout tore Kyle out of his trance, and he looked away from the fire just in time to feel the rumbling of another explosion. More fire, more debris, this time joined by sharp pieces of shrapnel, flying towards them at a ferocious speed, and- 

-Kyle raised his hands and froze shrapnel midair.

And only then did he remember that they were surrounded by soldiers - soldiers who were used to dealing with mutants, soldiers who were trained not to panic...under any circumstances.

__

No.

The soldiers reacted instantly, focusing on the new threat. Guns were raised, pointed at this new group of dangerous mutants, then joined by heavier artillery - machine guns, and Christ, even a small rocket launcher, Kyle realized, feeling the adrenaline course through his body. 

He risked a quick look over his shoulder and saw several of the soldiers collapse as Ryan's mindbolts hit them, then heard the screaming as several others felt the searing pain as the light from Deirdre's hands reached their eyes. Kyle raised his hands, freezing the molecules in front of him, Suzuka, and Ben, creating an invisible shield, wholly expecting a rain of bullets-

-And suddenly, the sounds of fighting stopped. The low rumbling from the fires were still there, as well as the sounds of people trying to get away from the chaotic scene, but the fighting...had stopped?

__

Ryan? Kyle sent worried. _Ryan?!_

He strengthened his shield, making sure that nothing would be able to pass, then risked another look over his shoulder. And suddenly it all made sense. Ryan was a fighter, but he wasn't suicidal - the number of soldiers that now surrounded them had increased to a point where it would be impossible to escape.

__

We have a problem... Ryan replied, watching the soldiers carefully. Another quick check, and Kyle realized with relief that the others were okay, too.

But for how long? If they decided to fight...no. He didn't want to think about that.

__

I know. What do we do now? Kyle asked silently, and heard Ryan sigh.

__

We...surrender, he admitted, and the feeling of defeat hung heavily in the air around him.

__

Surrender? Kyle repeated and frowned.

__

Do we have a choice? Ryan asked rhetorically, and Kyle had to admit that he had a point. They wouldn't be able to get away, not anymore. Not with the number of soldiers around them, not with the sheer amount of weapons aimed at them. Any attempt to escape now would be suicide, it was that simple.

Ben and Suzuka looked at him, both waiting for him to tell them what do to. 

"Don't fight," Kyle said quietly and slowly help up his hands, signalizing to the soldiers that he was unarmed. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Suzuka tense, obviously not happy about the order. "Don't fight them, Twilight, that is an order," he repeated through clenched teeth, and Suzuka lowered her eyes in silent acceptance.

She hated the order, hated surrendering without a fight, but at this moment Kyle didn't care. Fighting now would be suicide, and there was no need to die for a lost cause, not when they might be able to escape later.

Kyle felt the bitter taste of failure in his mouth as the soldiers approached him, but he remained unmoving, refusing to give them the satisfaction of seeing him weak. He felt one of them grab his arms, then the sharp sting of a needle in his shoulder, followed by a sudden dizziness. The drugs coursed through his body, burning a path of numbness where they went, until Kyle could feel the unconsciousness clawing at the edges of his mind.

This time, he didn't try to fight it.

***


	63. Divided They Shall Fall

Well, well. We just hit the 50-chapters/300 pages mark. I need a life O.o

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: Rascal: Sorry, babe - the pyrokinetic won't show up again. I have something else planned for Kyle dearest *evil grin*

T'Girl: Aww...it wasn't *their* fault that the FoH decided to play rough *g*. Actually it isn't very tiring to write the chapters - it's a good way to relax and vent some emotions ^^

WritingMoose: Actually we have...what? Some 35 chapters left? *scratches neck* Yeah, something like that, I think. I know it's getting kinda long, but the characters have a story they want to tell, and they don't seem very keen at letting me go until I write it for them...

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

/.../ Indicates Hal's use of her powers

***

Chapter Fifty: ...Divided They Shall Fall

***

Not surprisingly, the Guardians weren't the only ones who had noticed the sudden increase in the number of FoHs in the area. As Hal and her teammates had driven through the city, it had been impossible to ignore the many uniform-clad people in the streets, and for each new soldier they saw, Hal felt her anxiety kick up a notch.

Being able to influence luck, Hal hadn't really believed in something called 'coincidence' since her mutation had manifested. She had quickly learned that nothing 'just happened', and that if anything seemed too convenient to be a mere coincidence, it usually was. In fact, she had caused more than a few of those 'coincidences' herself, and often found herself amazed at the gullibility of the average human being. 

And now, watching the FoHs with a wary look, she hadn't believed that their presence was a coincidence for even a second. The humans were there for a reason, and whatever it was, it was bad news. 

Driving down one of the main streets, it turned out that she was right - further ahead, past a large traffic jam that had efficiently blocked the road, a checkpoint appeared, sending a small shiver down Hal's spine. She wasn't stupid, far from, and it didn't take long for her to realize just what all those FoHs were doing.

__

Damn!

For a moment she considered stopping by the side of the road and talk things over with Zach, but decided against it - two cars, driven by teenagers, and stopping just before a checkpoint raised by an anti-mutant organization...it wouldn't be suspicious, it would practically be a written invitation for someone to keep an eye on them. They needed to discuss what to do, yes, but not in a place as crowded as this.

Hal looked at the checkpoint again and then made a quick decision. She knew how the FoH worked, and she knew that getting through a checkpoint like that would be hard. The FoH weren't driven by money or duty like the cops, but by a deep-running hatred towards mutants. They couldn't be bribed, and used to mutants as they were, it was hard for anyone to get past them without a thorough check. 

Hesitating for less than a second, Hal drove around a corner, down one of the smaller streets. In the rear mirror she saw Zach follow her in the other car, and she continued a bit further before she stopped, allowing Zach to drive up beside her.

"What do we do now?" Zach asked after both had rolled down the windows of the cars. "There's no way we'll get past them, not even with our powers to clear the way."

"We'll try the less populated areas, then," Hal said, acting more confident than she felt. She couldn't allow herself to show weakness, not now. "They can't keep the entire city under surveillance, it would take too many men."

Zach frowned, considering her suggestion, then nodded. 

"All right. It's the best option we've got, anyway."

"We have to get further away than this," Aaron interjected from his place on the backseat of Hal's car. "They'll probably be watching the areas around the checkpoints, too, just in case someone tries to get around them."

"Probably, yeah," Hal agreed, then smiled faintly as she remembered something. "The industrial part of town, where we met Blade and Jhonen after they left the Guardians. Hardly anyone lives out there - setting up checkpoints there would be a waste of time."

Zach smirked.

"Got it," he replied. 

Hal returned his smile, then rolled up the window and drove away, followed by Zach. The meeting had lasted mere minutes, but unknown to the mutants, it was a few minutes too long. Watching from a rooftop, a dark-clad person had followed the entire rendezvous though a pair of binoculars. He frowned, then grabbed the radio that rested by his feet.

"Headquarter? This is lookout delta. We have two cases of possible mutants. Two cars - one black landrover and a dark blue sedan. They're heading south."

"Roger that, delta. We'll send someone to track them. Headquarters out."

The soldier on the rooftop nodded automatically, then grabbed his binoculars again, just in time to see the two cars disappear around a corner. He turned his head and saw two military vehicles drive down the street, following the two cars at a safe distance. He smiled faintly, then returned to watching the checkpoint. The muties could run, but they couldn't hide. Not anymore.

***

The area that Hal had chosen was much like she remembered it - numerous large buildings and warehouses; some of them still in use, but most of them old and neglected, abandoned when the economy could no longer support the massive amount of factories in the city. The small core of buildings that were still in use were mainly located closer to the city, and were easily spotted because of the guards and heavy security surrounding them. That made it easy to avoid them, something that Hal was thankful for.

She looked in the rear mirror to check that Zach were still with them, and felt her eyes widen in surprise. She looked over her shoulder, praying that she had been wrong, but found that it was not the case.

Two military vehicles were following them, and judging from Zach's sudden acceleration, he'd spotted them as well.

"Fuck!" Hal cursed, speeding up and earning a confused look from her two teammates.

"What's going on?" Aaron asked, frowning. 

"We're being followed," Hal replied, watching their two pursuers warily in the mirrors of the cars. She sped up and took a sharp turn around a corner, followed by Zach.

By now the FoH realized that they had been spotted, and dropped all attempts to appear inconspicuous. They followed the two fleeting cars, and only as they drove around the corner did Hal realize that one of the windows in the first car was rolled down. 

The sound of a gun being fired repeatedly tore through the air; the bullets all aimed at Hal's car in an attempt to stop the car and block the road for Zach. One of the bullets hit the window by the driver's seat, and Hal flinched, expecting to feel the pain of a bullet-wound. Instead of blasting through the window, though, the bullet was deflected and Hal felt her eyes widen in surprise. 

__

Bulletproof glass? Shit...what else did you 'forget' to tell us about, Blade?

In the seat beside Hal, Pheonix didn't seem to be the least surprised, and if she were, she hid it well. Like Aaron, her attention was on the road behind them, keeping an eye on their pursuers, as well as the car that Zach was driving.

"Hal, more cars - they must've radioed for backup!" Aaron said frantically, his usual snakelike calmness shattered by the graveness of the situation.

"How many?" Hal snapped.

"At least three - I'm not sure." This time it was Pheonix who replied, her voice betraying the worry she felt. "Fuck! Two of them just disappeared down a side road! We've lost sight of them!"

__

Three? Not good, Hal decided. Those three, plus the original two, wouldn't be easy to escape, she knew that. Two, yes, they could have handled that, but five...it was bad news. And the worst part was that they didn't know where two of the cars were. Hal looked up, checking the rear mirror, and saw one of the military vehicles speed up, trying to get closer to them.

__

Oh, no, you don't.

"Pheonix - we have a tail. Get rid of it!" Hal ordered sharply, desperately hoping that there was something - anything - nearby that the younger girl would be able to use against the humans.

Pheonix didn't reply with words, but even through the noise from the car, Hal heard - and felt - the earth rumble. She cast a brief look in the side mirror and saw the ground behind Zach's car explode in a cascade of water and debris.

"Water pipes," Pheonix explained briefly, a drop of sweat rolling down her neck as she fought to keep the water under control.

"I think we lost the first of the cars," Aaron reported as the air cleared up again. "The other two slowed down, but haven't stopped."

The earth rumbled again, sending another cascade of water down on the road, forcing the pursuing cars to slow down.

"Good job," Hal said with a faint smile. Pheonix shrugged, but didn't reply, and Hal turned her attention to the street again. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw a metallic glint of something, then felt her eyes widen as she realized what it was. Further down the road, the two missing FoH vehicles drove out from one of the smaller roads, tires screeching as the two cars were brought to an abrupt halt in the middle of the street.

Hal reacted instantly, hitting the breaks, and in the rear mirror she saw Zach do the same thing. She looked around frantically and realized with dawning fear that there were no side roads between them and the makeshift roadblock ahead, only old buildings and warehouses. 

"The warehouse on the right!" Pheonix snapped. "The gates are open!"

Hal hit the speeder and drove into the parking lot, then continued into the large building. It was a dead-end, she knew that, but it was their only option. The road was blocked from both sides - the only chance they had of escaping would be by hiding somewhere, and even that was a big maybe.

She brought the car to a screeching halt at the end of the room, and saw Zach stop less than ten feet away from her. It was limited how much cover the two cars would give them, but it would have to do. 

Hal got out of the car, followed by Pheonix and Aaron, and found Zach and Jhonen waiting for them outside, hiding behind the two cars.

"What do we do now?" Jhonen said, leaning against the land rover.

"What do you think?" Zach snapped, small ripples of energy gathering around his hand. "We fight!"

__

Fight? Hal frowned, concentrating on her powers, and-

/---gun-shots; blood; pain, shoulder hurt awfully; a body hitting the floor, and---/

/---death, dead people everywhere; humans shooting, two of them taken down by a lighting blot, but---/

/---"NO!"; a bullet in the chest, blood everywhere; hurt; never stopping, always---/

/---no escape, only death, and---/

"No!" 

Zach's head snapped up at Hal's sharp command, and the others sent the albino a confused look, wondering what she'd seen. At the entrance to the warehouse, the military vehicles arrived, breaks screeching as they stopped just inside the large building.

"What do you mean, 'no'?!" Zach demanded, ignoring the FoHs.

"If we fight, we die!" Hal snapped, refusing to let Zach's threatening attitude get to her. "It's pointless to die now when we might be able to escape later!"

The sound of footsteps against concrete interrupted the argument, causing the teenagers to look up. The FoHs had taken refuge behind their cars, aiming their rather impressive arsenal at the small group of mutants. One of them stood up, motioning for his men to lower their weapons.

"Listen, mutants! Surrender now and you will not get hurt!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the empty building.

"What?! Is *that* what you're suggesting we do?" Zach demanded, looking at Hal once again. "They're gonna kill us!"

"If they wanted us dead, they would have fired their weapons by now!" Hal retorted. By now their teammates were watching the humans nervously, and both Hal and Zach knew that they had to make a decision soon.

"We can't just surrender without a fight!" Zach growled and sent Hal an angry glare.

"Listen, Zach, I don't care if you play 'suicidal fighter' when you're on your own, but for once could you *please* forget about your damn pride?!" Hal snapped. "I don't like this any more than you do, but we don't have a choice!" 

"So we're gonna surrender, just like that?" Zach said disgusted. "I don't know how I ever got the idea that you were a fighter."

"Zach, damnit!" That was probably the first time Zach had ever seen Hal that angry, and he hesitated for a moment, giving the young albino the chance she needed to get him to listen. "If we continue to fight, we'll get ourselves killed! Sure, you'll get your fucking blaze of glory, but what about Jhonen and Aaron? Their powers are short-range - they're virtually defenseless in a situation like this. Do you really want to die with the knowledge that they will get killed because of your goddamn pride?! You're part of a team, Zachary, so start thinking about someone other than yourself for a change!"

Zach clenched his fists tightly, and Hal could see the energy ripple beneath his skin. For a moment the boy looked like he would actually attack her, then he took a deep breath, and sent Hal a cold look.

"All right. Then we do it your way. But if we all get executed like diseased animals by the goddamn flatscans, then the blame lies on *your* shoulders."

"I can accept that," Hal replied softly, then slowly stood up from their hiding place. 

The soldiers reacted immediately, aiming their guns at Hal, but didn't fire. The girl walked across the floor and deliberately stopped out in the open, away from any potential places to seek cover.

"Don't shoot," Hal said, holding up her hands to show them that she wasn't going to attack. She ignored the bitter taste of failure, then continued. "We surrender." 

The sound of her guns hitting the floor as she tossed them away echoed through the room, leaving a hollow feeling in Hal. She'd made her choice, and now there was no way back. Had she been alone, it would have been easier, but this time her choice would affect her teammates as well. 

Again the sound of metal again concrete could be hear as one of the others tossed their weapons away, and Hal looked down briefly, silently praying that she'd made the right choice. The soldiers approached her, watching her carefully, but Hal didn't move. She saw one of them bring out a syringe filled with a clear liquid, and she briefly wondered if it was poison or sedatives. A distant pain followed as the needle pierced her skin, and Hal stopped her speculations. Whatever the liquid was, it didn't matter. It was too late to change anything now. A strange numbness filled her body, making it hard to think straight - death? Unconsciousness? She didn't care.

Her last conscious thought was relief as the darkness finally engulfed her mind.

If she'd made the wrong choice, as least she'd never know.

***

Newly constructed and rushed by necessity, the temporary prison facilities in Chicago were far from the epitome of secure. The guards, while not newbies, had only recently been transferred, and the schedule still hadn't been worked out completely. The security system, like so many other newly installed things of that magnitude, still had its problems - camera glitches, less-important areas that had been neglected in favor of the more critical ones, electronic systems that had yet to be checked for potential weaknesses.

All in all, it shouldn't have been very surprising that three mutants - all of them professionals - had managed to sneak their way inside undetected. No prison was completely secure, especially not when it came to people breaking *in* instead of out. 

So why did Laetitia still have the bad feeling that *something* was wrong? 

She didn't know exactly what it was that bothered her, but something felt wrong. The whole mission in itself had been suspect and most likely a trap of some sort, but she couldn't quite shake off the feeling that something else was wrong.

In front of her Blade and Jordane looked just as edgy as Laetitia herself felt. It wasn't obvious, but when you knew what to look for, it was easy to see - guns held tightly, muscles tense, and eyes constantly searching the surrounding. 

They didn't feel any more comfortable in the prison than Laetitia did, and somehow that only served to heighten her uneasiness. 

"'Cellblock D'," Blade noted, motioning towards one of the large signs on the wall. "Now we only have to find cell eleven."

"Good," Jordane mumbled. "The faster we get out, the better. This place gives me the creeps." 

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Blade smiled faintly before checking the map in his hand. That map - or actually, the blueprints to the prison - hadn't been cheap, but it had been worth the price: after hours of hard work they had managed to map out the security system and in particular its weaknesses. And the few places where there hadn't been a weakness to exploit, cutting a few key wires had proven to be enough.

Of course there was always the chance of being spotted, but hopefully they would be out again before anyone realized what was going on.

They headed down the hallway, their footsteps echoing through the building. A few of the cells were occupied, but most of them were still waiting for their future residents. Half-empty as the prison was, though, it wouldn't last long before it was full - a week or two at the most, by Laetitia's estimates. The all-out hunt for mutants had resulted in a sudden need for new prisons and internment camps, and there were more than enough mutants out there to fill the cells.

The trio finally reached the cell they were looking for, and Laetitia dismissed her gloomy thoughts. She had been trained to focus completely on her assignment, and that was exactly what she intended to do.

A long minute of work on the lock, and the cell-door opened with a soft click and a faint, electric hum. The trio stepped into the room, Blade and Laetitia waiting by the door with their guns ready, while Jordane approached the unmoving girl who rested on the small bed in the cell. 

"Rina?" Jordane asked and touched the girl's shoulder, watching for even the slightest reaction. The girl mumbled something, then finally realized that she wasn't alone, and sat up with a wary look. 

Laetitia watched the girl carefully. Yes, she'd met her before - she rarely forgot a face, even if she'd only seen the person once. She tried to remember what the girl's mutation was, but the thought kept eluding her.

"What are you-?" Rina began, but Blade interrupted her.

"Explanations can wait. We're leaving - now," he said and took a step closer to the girl.

"No!" the girl snapped. "I'm not going anywhere with someone I don't even know."

"Listen, girl," Blade said coldly. "You're coming with us whether you like it or not. We don't intend to hurt you, but you *will* come with us, understand?"

Rina seemed to falter for a moment, and Laetitia turned her attention from the hallway to the younger mutant. They had to get out as fast as possible, and arguing with Rina hadn't been in their plans. What was that girl's problem, anyway? Was she really so stupid that she *wanted* to stay in prison?

"Let's go!" Laetitia snapped. "We don't have time to argue with you, Rina. We were told to get you out of here, and that is exactly what we intend to do."

She had expected that those words would either piss Rina off, or finally get through to the girl, but neither happened. Instead Rina just smiled slowly, confidently, and looked Blade straight in the eyes.

"Drop the gun." 

The order was quiet, barely a whisper, but it was enough. Laetitia's eyes widened as Blade's gun dropped to the floor, and the man clutched his head tightly, seemingly trying to fight some invisible foe. 

"Get the fuck out of my head!" he snapped and finally managed to break Rina's intense stare. 

"What the hell did you do to him?!" Jordane demanded angrily, closing in on Rina. The younger girl focused on the new threat, and Laetitia snapped into action, raising her gun-

- And felt the sharp pain of a needle in her shoulder. She spun around, and too late she realized what had happened. They had allowed themselves to be distracted by Rina, leaving the door completely unguarded. She aimed her gun at the guards, but it was too late. Her body was losing its strength too quickly, and she felt the gun drop out of her hand, landing on the floor with a metallic clang. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was one of the guards helping Rina up from the bed. 

Then there was only darkness.

***


	64. 10th Interlude: Art of Deception

Three ficlets have been added to the page: 'What You Didn't Know' by T'Girl, 'A Mother's Care' by MissNovelist, and 'Russian Roulette' by Maxwell Dark. 

The addy is sorciere.freeservers.com / journey / index.html (without the spaces)

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: VivaGlam: *smirk* I once told you that when this fic was done, nothing would be what it seemed. I'm starting to make good on that promise now. 

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Tenth Interlude: Art of Deception 

***

The girl entered the office silently, obviously uncomfortable with the situation. She cast a slightly nervous look around, then looked down, waiting for the man behind the large desk to speak. Everything about the room was designed to signal wealth and power, and to make any visitor feel small and insignificant. Judging by the girl's reaction, it worked admirably.

"I trust that the officials treated you well?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow inquiringly. 

Rina raised her head hesitantly, not entirely comfortable in the man's presence. It wasn't that he looked threatening - middle-aged, and with a few gray hairs among the black, giving him a distinguished look that hardly spoke of danger. It was more the fact that she knew his reputation, and although she had done business with some of his subordinates on her way to New York, she had never met him in person before.

"Yes, Sir," she replied, trying to force her uneasiness aside. "They didn't really like working with a mutant, but they treated me nicely."

The man nodded, absently toying with one of the pens on the table. 

"Good. Did everything go as planned?"

"Nobody got hurt, so...I guess so," Rina said hesitantly. "I just..." she trailed off, unsure of how far she was allowed to go.

"_Da?_" Sergey asked, prompting her to continue. 

"It's just - I don't like it..." Rina confessed softly. "Helping the humans capture them...I thought mutants were supposed to stick together."

"We all do what we must do to survive, Rina," Sergey explained, much like someone would explain something unpleasant to a child. "I still have things I want to do with my life, and those plans do not include dying at the hands of the government."

Rina's head snapped up at those words, real worry visible in her eyes for the first time since she entered the room.

"Die? You mean they're going to get killed?"

"They're mutants and wanted killers, child," Sergey explained gently. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but they will only be kept alive for long enough to go through a faux trial. The public is demanding that the government does something about the mutant problem, and this will be just the thing needed to silence the masses." 

"But---how can you help the humans like that?" Rina asked, torn between confusion and anger. "You're a mutant, too - how can you help them after all they've done to our kind?"

Sergey shook his head.

"You're young. To you, the world is still black and while, but it doesn't work that way in real life. Sometimes we have to compromise. I know what the humans did to you, Rina, and I agree that you have every right to hate them, but what you did today, you did for the greater good."

"What do you mean?" Rina asked confused.

"I am not one of God's best children, I readily admit that, but there are various levels of...'evil', so to speak," Sergey began. "Yes, I *have* ordered people killed, but only as a last resort, and I have never made a decision like that easily. My methods are not legal, I'll admit that as well, but I am not an evil person. If I *had* been, I would never have bothered to use my resources to help mutants out of the country, but would instead have handed them over to the government - you included," he added and sent Rina a pointed look. 

The girl looked away, starting to regret her objections. He was right, wasn't he? He *had* helped mutants escape the FoH on several occasions - always for a fee, of course, but that was only to be expected. And he's saved *her* life as well - she had no right to doubt him...did she?

"Understand this, Rina," Sergey continued, catching the girl's attention once more. "Blade Heron is a killer. His skills are for sale to the highest bidder, no matter what kind of assignment it is. He doesn't care about the consequences of his actions - he kills for money, and even for pleasure sometimes. He deserves the death warrant the government has put on him, never forget that. By helping the humans capturing him, you have helped save the lives of the innocent people he would have killed in the future."

Rina looked at him and took a moment to consider the words. They made sense...in a way, she *had* helped saving the lives of innocent people. She hated the humans, always would, but in this case it had been more like bringing a criminal to justice than to actually betray her fellow mutants, hadn't it?

Yeah...it made sense. 

"I guess you're right," she admitted a bit reluctantly. "It's just that...it seems wrong to help the humans."

"As I said, child, sometimes we have to compromise to get what we want," Sergey replied. "This world is run by favors - I got you out of that prison in New York, and in return you helped me. It's the same thing here, just on a larger scale - the police agreed to look the other way regarding this organization, if I could offer them something to compensate for their loss." He paused briefly, carefully considering his next words. "If I, as a mutant, had decided never to work with humans, I would have found myself in jail years ago. And if that had been the case, you would most likely not have been alive today," he added.

Rina frowned, trying to catch up with his words.

"So we have to look at the big picture, instead of just this one moment?" she asked. "I never really thought of it like that." She paused for a moment, biting lightly in her lower lip as she considered what had happened. "I guess you're right...and we *did* help the humans bring three killers to justice. I guess that counts for something, too."

"Three?" Sergey's head snapped up at that word, watching Rina intently. 

"Yeah...the man you talked about, and then two women," Rina replied confused. 

__

*Two* women?

"Did one of the women look Greek?" Sergey asked. Rina hesitated, and Sergey clenched his fist around the pen. "Well?" he demanded with badly hidden impatience in his voice.

"Yes," Rina replied, her nervousness starting to return. "Why? Is something wrong?"

__

Laetitia...

"No...no, nothing is wrong. I was just surprised," Sergey replied, taking a moment to get his temper under control. "You did a good job, Rina," he continued and handed her a heavy, white envelope. 

Rina accepted it with a surprised expression on her face, then sent the man a suspicious look. "What-?"

"A plane-ticket to London, a new passport, a genetic ID-card identifying you as human, and a fair amount of cash," Sergey replied, having anticipated the question. "Nobody will bother you on the flight, you have my word on that."

"And I'm free to go - I don't owe you anything for this?" Rina asked, not quite believing what she heard.

"You're free to go if you want to," Sergey confirmed. "Or...you could stay here and work for me. You have an interesting mutation, child, and I have the feeling that it could prove to be useful."

"Work...for you?" Rina asked. "Why? I just got what I needed to get safely to Europe. I don't have any reason to stay here."

"Yes, you can get safely over there, but what about the future? What will happen if the governments oversea start to clamp down on mutants like they do here? Even with an ID-card identifying you as human, it would only be a matter of time before you were discovered."

Rina wanted to turn around and leave the room, but hesitated. Much as she hated to admit it, he had a point...she would never be completely safe over there, not with the mutant laws that had been suggested by several European governments. 

Sergey noticed her hesitation and smiled faintly. 

"Talk to Francis about it - I understand the two of you became fairly good friends during your stay in the safehouse. Talk to him, and then think about your options for a while. You know how to contact me."

Rina took her cue and left the room silently, looking thoughtfully at the envelope in her hand. The door shut quietly behind her, and Sergey smiled. The girl would be back, she just didn't know it yet. Her mutation was truly remarkable...it would prove useful, no doubt about that. And speaking of useful mutations...the Russian frowned, remembering what Rina had told him.

__

Three people, one of them being Nike.

He wouldn't be able to get her out of prison, not in this case - if he tried, the government would take it as a sign that he was backing out on his part of the deal, and the result wouldn't be pleasant. But he had to do something - if not for Laetitia's sake, then for her father's. The world was run by favors, and even Sergey had his debts to pay.

"Nike, you fool. Why did you come along on an assignment that was obviously a trap? Have you no common sense?" he sighed, silently cursing Laetitia's decision.

Yes...he had to do something, and soon. When necessary, the government worked fast - a week, two at the most, and Laetitia would stand trial. 

Sergey could not allow that to happen.

He leaned back in his chair, considering his options. He couldn't just have her set free, not in this particular case, but he might be able to give her a chance to escape...yes. He picked up the phone, dialing a number from memory alone.

It would work. 

It had to.

***


	65. 11th Interlude: Dark Horizons

New ficlet up at sorciere.freeservers.com / journey / index.html - a humorous, little tale about the Guardians, written by Rascal. Go read ^^

A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: Rascal: Ahhh...but who says Rina *is* naïve? The problem is that Sergey is a mutant...but nobody quite knows what his mutation is, only that he is suspiciously good at getting people to do as he says...*smirk*

Sabrin: All in due time, dear...^^

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Eleventh Interlude: Dark Horizons

***

A constant, low rumble. That was the first thing that registered in Deirdre's groggy mind. A constant, low rumble...an engine? She tried to get her mind to cooperate, but was met only with the heavy drowsiness characteristic of someone who had just woken up from a long nap.

An engine, yeah...but too deep a rumble to be a car. A plane, maybe? Yeah, it sounded like...

...Wait - what was she doing on a plane?

Deirdre frowned and tried to think, but her mind was too blurry to be of much help. Fragments of something - fire; guns; screaming; someone running - but when she tried to focus on it, the only result was the beginning of a headache.

Annoyed with the lack of cooperation from her mind, Deirdre focused on the surroundings instead. A mattress. She was lying on a hard mattress. Not hard enough to be uncomfortable, but too hard to be used for sleeping. Slowly, she tried to open her eyes and ignored the faint discomfort as she did so.

A room - white plastic-like walls and brightly lit, making her eyes hurt and forced her to close them again. Deirdre tried to raise one of her arms to rub the sleepiness out of her eyes but found it impossible. She tried again, and this time her suspicions were confirmed - restrains, not metal but some sort of fabric, keeping her hands strapped down.

Deirdre felt a kick of adrenaline at that discovery, pushing away the haziness of sleep and making her memories return.

The FoH. 

They'd been capture by the FoH at the checkpoint in Chicago, she realized with a shudder. She remember the fighting, the sudden silence, the faint sting of a needle piercing her skin...and then nothing as the drugs had kicked in, knocking her unconscious.

Deirdre tried to pull in the restrains, test their strength, but the only result of her efforts was a thundering headache as her tired body complained about her aggressive behavior. Part of her wanted to keep fighting, but the other, more logical part knew that it would accomplish nothing but draining her last remaining strength. 

She sighed quietly and tried to relax and give her body the rest it deserved. Despite the graveness of the situation, it wasn't hard - the effects of the drugs were still strong and easily overcame the tenseness she felt. 

Deirdre wasn't sure how long she lay there in a state between sleep and awareness. Everything seemed to blend together - minutes and seconds joined her thundering headache and the rumbling of the engines in an almost hypnotic effect, giving the world around Deirdre a blurry, distorted feel. It could have been seconds, minutes, even hours - she didn't know - but finally something managed to get through the low, continuous rumbling. 

Footsteps.

Footsteps, and then the low mumbling of voices.

And they were coming closer.

Deirdre concentrated on the sound and slowly dragged herself out of the trance-like state she'd ended up in. Even through the drug-induced grogginess, she realized something - if she wanted any chance of escaping, she would need to know a bit about what was going on. And with a little luck, eavesdropping would give her some useful information. 

"...Seen the blood-samples, and I don't understand why we're wasting time and resources to transport beta-level mutants all this way," a female voice said, finally audible through the engine-noise. "Only alpha-levels belong in that camp."

"They *do* have a low-level security wing," the other voice, this one male, reminded her. "That camp is also used for beta-levels from the surrounding area."

The footsteps stopped a bit away from Deirdre, and she tried to take a look around, but her eyes were still too sensitive to handle the strong light.

"But transporting them all the way from Chicago, which is only weeks away from completing the first of their planned camps? It's a waste of resources - Chicago has several prisons that are more than capable of housing a group of beta-levels for a few weeks," the female argued. There was a faint sound of metal against metal, but try as she might, Deirdre was unable to figure out what was going on.

"But it's not your decision, doctor," the male reminded his companion, almost amused. "But yes, I agree. In a normal case, this would be a waste of resources. In this case, however, the beta-levels were caught with the alpha-levels. They seem to have been travelling together for a while."

"And you didn't have the heart to separate them?" the female mocked. Unlike the male, her voice was hard, uncaring, and Deirdre shivered at the thought that someone so cold could call herself a doctor.

"It has nothing to do with emotions," the male replied, his amusement gone. "We know from experience that mutants in groups are usually intensely loyal to each other. If the beta-levels were put in a low-level security camp and managed to escape, they would be likely to attempt to rescue their friends." 

A moment of silence, followed by the strange sound of metal against metal, before the female replied.

"I see," she admitted. "I guess you're right...a possible rescue attempt could cause some serious trouble, even for a high security camp."

"For a doctor, you're pretty cold-blooded," the man remarked. "I'm amazed no one has tried to make an officer out of you yet."

"I don't like mutants, but I like weapons even less," the woman replied, taking a few steps closer to Deirdre. "I am still a doctor - my job is to save lives, not destroy them."

The man followed her, his footsteps easy to hear even through the low rumble. 

"And you're a good doctor," he admitted.

Metal against metal once again, and what *was* that sound? Deirdre frowned, her thoughts interrupted by the female again.

"I take it that your arm is doing better?" she asked, kinder, less cold this time. 

"Yeah...," the man replied. "It hurt like a bitch for the first couple of hours, but now there's just this faint throbbing."

"It will pass soon," his companion promised. "And with a little luck, the burn-mark won't leave too bad a scar." 

"Sounds good," the man said, the grin obvious in his voice. "I like my arm the way it is."

The two moved closer, stopping beside Deirdre, and the girl felt her body tense at the suddenly closeness to the two humans. Again the faint sound of metal against metal could be heard, and too late did Deirdre realize what it was.

She felt the needle press against the soft skin of her right arm, and her heart began to beat frantically as her mind reacted to the prospect of another injection. She tried to move, to get away from the syringe, but her body was still too weak to do anything. The needle pierced her skin, sending a new dose of the drugs into Deirdre's blood, and the girl fell unconscious once more.

***


	66. Creature of Darkness

Dedicated to all of the wonderful reviewers who're still hanging on *g* Remind me to do something nice for you someday ^^

Another ficlet up at sorciere.freeservers.com / journey / index.html - this time a darker piece by Sabrin, focusing on Ben. 

A/N 1: Everyone repeat after me - ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net. See? That wasn't so hard ^^

A/N 2: Ageless: "Happily ever after"? *Blank stare* Error. Does not compute...besides, you know what happens when a character catches the attention of our muses *smirk*

Maxwell Dark: The camp? Oh, we'll find out...eventually *grins*. Actually, I'm not sure how much (and if) Rina will show up. It's one of those details I'll work out along the way, with the help of Ageless dearest ^^

WritingMoose: Oh, they'll get to Mexico eventually *looks at muse uncertainly* Won't they? *Muse just snickers* Ehh...okay. O.o...

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Fifty-One: Creature of Darkness

***

"Hey - wake up!"

The words cut through the comforting darkness that engulfed Deirdre's mind, and she felt someone nudge her. She mumbled something incoherently and tried to move, but the only result was a dull pain as her headache flared up and made her whimper quietly.

"Come on, girl. Wake up!"

Another nudge, and Deirdre felt her mind clear up a bit. She vaguely remembered being on board an airplane, but it felt more like some surreal dream than reality. Maybe it had been - the hard floor she now found herself on certainly didn't belong in a plane. Deirdre frowned, trying to place the voice - it was male, and although it sounded vaguely familiar, the thought kept eluding her. She pushed aside her discomfort and still quite groggy, she opened her eyes and took a moment to take in the features of the boy who crouched next to her. Shaggy brown hair, a pair of pale blue, almost gray eyes watching her every move carefully from beneath a pair of glasses...

Deirdre's eyes widened and she pushed herself away from the boy as her mind finally caught up with what she was seeing.

"Get away from me!" she bit out angrily, stumbling to her feet. Acting solely on instincts, she raised her hands and tried to blind her unwanted companion, but the only result was a thundering headache, and Deirdre gasped at the sudden pain.

"Would you calm down?" Zach snapped, watching the girl with an annoyed expression. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

Deirdre watched him warily and took a step away from him. She cast a brief look at the surroundings, and didn't at all like what she saw - a cell, a couple of beds, a bathroom stall...and Zach. Not good.

"Right," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "We're on opposite teams, but of *course* you're not going to hurt me."

Deirdre raised her arms ever so slightly once again, prepared to defend herself if needed be. She didn't even think about it - it was an unconscious reaction, a stance that would enable her to use both martial arts and her mutation if she had to. Zach took one look at her stance and rolled his eyes.

"You can't use your powers, moron," he said and pointed at a small, black metal collar around his neck. "See? Power-suppressive collars. Meaning that you can't hurt me, even if you try."

Deirdre glared at him.

"So I'm stuck in a cell with a homicidal maniac as my only company?" she bit out. "Don't even *think* about trying anything, Blitz. I'm not as harmless as I look." 

Zach snorted, giving the girl a once over. With her black hair, and eyes almost the exact same color as his, she was actually kind of attractive in her own way, but hardly a worthy opponent for someone like him. 

"First of all, girl, you're not worth the trouble of a fight. You're smaller than I am, you don't have your mutation to help you, and you've never been trained to real fighting - taking you out would not be a fair fight. And secondly, I'm *not* a homicidal maniac."

"Don't talk about fair fight to me!" Deirdre snapped. "You don't even know what it means!"

"Listen, girl!" Zach snapped right back, starting to feel more than a bit annoyed with his cellmate. "I never have, and never will be, involved in an unfair fight - just because I'm with the Shadow Alliance it doesn't mean that I don't have a sense of honor!"

"Then what about Prue?!" Deirdre demanded. "Was that a fair fight, maybe? I don't think so!"

__

Prue? Zach look bewildered at the young Guardian, his annoyance forgotten. What the fuck was the girl talking about? Had she lost her mind, or had the drugs affected her harder than he'd originally thought?

"What do you mean, what about Prue? What the hell are you talking about?!" Zach asked exasperated. 

"You people killed Prue!"

Zach took a step back, shocked at Deirdre's angry words. Part of him wanted to believe that she was lying, but the look of pure anguish in her eyes told him otherwise. He looked disbelieving at Deirdre, his mind desperately trying to catch up with her words.

"We *what*?!"

***

Pain was the first thing Ryan became aware of. The constant pain from a lingering headache, and a faint throbbing in his shoulder, probably because of the hard floor he found himself resting on. Slowly, in an attempt to prevent the headache from getting any worse, Ryan opened his eyes and took a careful look around.

What he saw was not encouraging.

Four beds, and the bare walls of a cell - apparently a fairly new building judging from the lack of wear and tear. A sink in one corner, and a stall, probably the toilet. Small stacks of clothes placed on the beds with military precision. 

This was bad news.

He frowned, trying to force himself to remember, and all too soon the harshness of reality returned to him. The checkpoint, the FoH, the pyrokinetic, the explosions, the fight-

__

No...

He tried to reach out with his mind, to search for his teammates, but found nothing but a black void - no emotions and no low hum of thoughts, not their comforting presence, not even the usual, mental 'background noise' was there. A sudden suspicion entered Ryan's mind, and with dawning fear he reached up and touched his throat.

A collar.

__

Damn!

He'd heard rumors of these so-called power-suppressive collars, a new technology the government was experimenting with, but up until now he'd never actually had the displeasure of coming into contact with one. Not without a certain difficulty, Ryan let his hand trace the collar, searching for a possible lock, but could only feel a small, round knob in the section of the metal that covered the back of his neck.

Ryan sighed softly. Trying to get the collar off would without doubt prove useless and would only serve to make him exhausted. He shook his head slightly, then fought back the discomfort and slowly managed to sit up without making the headache get too bad. Another look around, and for the first time he noticed the three other people in the cell. The one closest to himself instantly caught his attention.

"Ben..." Ryan whispered, moving closer to check on his friend. A slowly, steady pulse - unconsciousness, probably, or very deep sleep. He looked unharmed, too - no wounds or bruises from what Ryan could see, and his worry diminished a bit.

Relieved that his friend was okay, Ryan looked at the two other unmoving people. The younger of them was a blond boy, with scales covering part of his hands, continuing up his arms.

__

Viper, Ryan realized, recognizing the young mutant. _So they didn't get out, either._

Somehow, the boy's presence didn't worry him - he had taken a brief look into Viper's mind once or twice, and found that the boy's way of thinking was very much like the snakes he so resembled. A calm, cool presence, and an almost unnaturally even temper - yes, Viper thought partially like a snake, and snakes did not attack unless provoked. 

Fairly certain that the young mutant wouldn't be a threat to him and Ben, Ryan looked at the last of his cellmates and his eyes widened in recognition. Brown, spiky hair with the characteristic red tips, the black-framed glasses...

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Jhonen.

Ryan watched his former teammate with a shocked expression on his face, slowly trying to come to terms with what he was seeing. After not having seen the boy in person for almost a week, his memory of Jhonen had slowly evolved from the innocent teenager into someone darker and more ruthless, especially after Diana had told him about the things Jhonen had done. The guilt had been easier to handle when he had been able to delude himself into thinking that Jhonen hadn't been as innocent as they'd thought. Ryan didn't hate Jhonen, though, and he wasn't sure if he would ever be able to - what he felt was the bitter taste of failure, and that failure became a little easier to handle when he could think of Jhonen as someone more cold and calculating.

But watching the boy now, unconscious on the floor, and resting his head on one arm, it became painfully obvious that while Jhonen might have changed sides, he was still innocent, and vulnerable, and heartbreakingly young.

A part of Ryan had desperately hoped that it was Jhonen himself who had made the choice of defecting - he would have felt better knowing that the boy had known what he was doing - but now...

Innocent, harmless Jhonen, who'd never been able to hurt anyone unless it was a matter of life and death...no. He hadn't known was he was doing. He had never had a choice - if he had, he wouldn't have left. He had been manipulated, plain and simple, and was slowly being twisted into something dark and ruthless against his will.

Suzuka had said that Jhonen followed Nike around like a puppy, and to Ryan that sounded all too likely. He knew how Nike thought and acted, and playing mindgames with an innocent teenage boy was just the kind of thing the Greek mercenary would find amusing.

Ryan sighed quietly, then let his eyes take in Jhonen's appearance. Not surprisingly, the boy hadn't changed much - after all, it was limited how much you could change in one week - but there *were* a few things. Faint lines around his eyes, almost invisible behind the glasses, but sill giving him a harder look. The clothes, too - the style was darker than the one Ryan had been used to seeing. Not much, but still enough to show that Jhonen *had* changed during his short time with the Shadow Alliance.

Jhonen moved slightly, waking up, and tore Ryan out of his musings. The younger mutant groaned slightly as he became aware of his headache and then slowly tried to sit up. Remembering his own first minutes awake, Ryan reached out and carefully pushed Jhonen down to the floor again.

"Don't try to move just yet - you're still affected by the drugs," he said softly, concern for the boy coming naturally. They *had* known each other for more than a year, and despite what Jhonen had done, Ryan found himself feeling genuine concerned for the boy.

The words, combined with the feeling that someone gently but firmly forced him to lie down again, blew away the last remains of the grogginess that engulfed Jhonen's mind. His eyes snapped open, and he found himself face to face with the last person he wanted to see.

Ryan.

Jhonen's eyes widened slightly, but he remained silent, not sure what to say.

"Hello, Jhonen." 

Ryan's voice was quiet, tainted with pain, but there was still a hint of steel that told Jhonen that his former leader was far from broken, despite what Blade had done to him.

"Ryan..." he replied and carefully moved into a sitting position, never taking his eyes off the telepath. He had known that it was only a matter of time before he'd have to face his former team, but he had desperately hoped that it wouldn't be this soon. He wasn't ready, not yet.

Ryan just watched silently, mentally assessing the boy. Unlike that time in the warehouse, there was no guilt in Jhonen's eyes. Caution, yes, and regret, but not guilt. On some level it almost scared him - after the things that Jhonen had done, there should have been at least a hint of guilt, shouldn't there? Jhonen had betrayed his team - the people who had taken care of him when he needed it most - and then helped an infamous mercenary murder an innocent girl.

There should have been guilt. Any normal person would have showed some sign of guilt, but...

Jhonen looked away, uncomfortable with being the object of Ryan's unwavering attention, and Ryan closed his eyes briefly as he finally realized what had happened. He'd thought that Blade and Nike were still manipulating Jhonen, still trying to turn him into a dark creature that suited their purposes, but he had been wrong. 

They weren't trying...they had already succeeded.

***


	67. A Foundation of Distrust

VivaGlam's latest ficlet is up on the page (sorciere.freeservers.com / journey / index.html) - 'Malevolent Enmity', a rather dark Zach and Laetitia centric piece. Go read ^^

A/N 1: You know the drill - ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: SilentPegasus: *smirk* Of course I put Jhonen with Ben and Ryan - I need him alive later *eg*

Archangel: Oh, the Unholy Trinity will get to have fun later *vague gesture in the direction of the future plotlines*

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Fifty-Two: A Foundation of Distrust

***

She had a hangover. Funny...she didn't remember being out drinking.

Pheonix frowned, trying to remember what had happened, but her memories seemed strangely distant. Every time she almost caught one of those elusive memories, it seemed to seep through her mental fingers before she could take a good look at it. She frowned...it didn't feel right. The one time she'd ever drunk enough to forget what she'd been doing the night before, the feeling had been different. It had been a black void, completely devoid of memories, while this...

No...something was wrong.

Slowly, painfully slowly, Pheonix managed to sit up, desperately wishing for a painkiller to take away the hangover. She took a moment to let the headache diminish a bit, then opened her eyes, ready to close them again if the light was too strong.

Bare walls. Bare, gray walls. Bare, gray walls that looked suspiciously like-

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- A cell? What the fuck?!

A surge of adrenaline cleared her mind of the grogginess, and the events in Chicago returned to her with frightening clarity - the checkpoint, their attempts to get away, the standoff in the warehouse, the needle in her arm-

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Fuck!

She looked around, hoping to find her teammates somewhere, and found Hal lying unconscious next to her.

"Hal?" she asked worried and nudged the girl. "Hal!"

The young albino moved slightly and mumbled something incoherently, and Pheonix let go. The older girl seemed to be okay - she was probably just still influenced by the drugs, Pheonix decided.

A faint sound made her spin around, suppressing a whimper as the headache returned with a vengeance.

"Who-" Pheonix stopped abruptly as she realized whom one of her other cellmates were. No - this was impossible. It couldn't be- "*Pandora*? What the fuck?!" she asked disbelieving.

Diana blinked once, then twice, trying to clear her mind as she slowly sat up. The voice sounded familiar, but she was still too groggy to recall where she knew it from. Diana forced aside her discomfort and looked at the disbelieving girl, feeling her eyes widen in confusion. 

"Pheonix..." she whispered, watching the other mutant carefully. She tried to get a feeling for Pheonix' thoughts through her powers, but the only result was pain as the last traces of the drugs did their job. Diana suppressed her whimper, refusing to let the other mutant see her weak.

For a long time the two just watched each other, both waiting for the pain to disappear, both uncertain, worried, and more than a bit distrustful, both unwilling to make the first move. 

Oddly, Diana found that she couldn't bring herself to hating Pheonix and Hal despite of what had happened. She had been thinking about things for a while and had realized something: Deirdre had said that it had been Blade, Nike, Melee, and Jhonen behind Prue's murder - she hadn't mentioned anything about the rest of the Shadow Alliance. Knowing Blade and Nike, it was quite likely that none of the other members of the team knew what had happened. And Pheonix' behavior only served to make that theory all the more likely - with the help of Ryan, Diana had once had the chance to take a brief look at Pheonix' mind, and had found herself pleasantly surprised. Deep down, Pheonix was a good kid - she had a heart, she had a conscience, she could feel guilt...she wasn't the kind of girl who could help kill an innocent person, and then act so calmly around one of the victim's friends.

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They didn't tell you, did they? Diana asked silently, but of course there was no reply from Pheonix. Their powers were useless here - there was no way she could have heard the whispered thought.

Finally Diana had had enough of the silence and steeled her resolve. She was the second in command of the Guardians, and it was about time she started to act like it.

"Where did they capture you?" she asked, deliberately making her voice as neutral as possible to avoid provoking the younger girl. 

"Who?" Pheonix asked. She already knew the answer, of course - her only reason for asking was to avoid giving up any information herself. 

"The FoH," Diana replied, playing along, and decided to add a bit more in the hopes of getting Pheonix to open op. "They caught us by one of the checkpoints in Chicago, so I suspect that this is an internment camp of some sort."

Pheonix nodded slowly, filing the information away for a possible future use. Diana raised an eyebrow, waiting for Pheonix' reply, and the dark-skinned girl sighed. Oh, well - it wasn't like Diana could actually use the information for anything, and they were in the same situation now, anyway.

"They cornered us in the industrial part of town," Pheonix said, her voice becoming angrier as she explained what had happened. "We noticed the checkpoints and tried to get out another way, but the assholes hunted us down like some goddamn animals."

A long moment of silence where the two just watched each other suspiciously, then Diana sighed.

"There really isn't much use in holding old grudges right now, is there?" she commented.

Pheonix' eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Much as she hated to admit it, Diana had a point. They were locked in a cell that belonged to the fucking FoH - they had more than enough problems without adding team loyalties to the list

"Got any suggestions?" she asked, already suspecting where the older Guardian was going.

"Yes...a truce. Let's forget about politics, at least until we're out of here. If we want to escape, we have to work together," Diana explained, carefully watching Pheonix' reaction.

"A truce?" Pheonix repeated.

"Yes. I'm willing to put aside our old grudges if you and Hal are, too," Diana said, her voice leaving no doubt about the seriousness of the suggestion. "West won't like it after what happened, but I think he'll be able to accept it."

"Who's West? And what do you mean, after what happened? What the fuck are you talking about?!" Pheonix demanded.

"West is the boy over there," Diana explained, motioning towards the unconscious Guardian. "And he's the newest member of our team."

Pheonix didn't reply, and Diana sighed.

"And the other thing...I'm afraid that Blade and Nike have been keeping secrets from you..."

***

Slowly, reluctantly, Kyle's mind fought its way out of the darkness that engulfed it, and made its owner aware of the pain in his body. Kyle groaned and for a moment he just lay on the floor, silently praying for the pain to go away. There was no such luck, though, and Kyle sighed, slowly opening his eyes.

An unmoving figure close to him was the first thing that caught his attention, and his eyes widened as he recognized Suzuka's characteristic black and golden hair. Pushing aside his discomfort, Kyle made his way to Suzuka and quickly checked the girl. Strong, steady pulse, no visible bruises...physically, she seemed to be okay. Kyle sighed in relief and slowly got up on his feet, supporting himself again the wall. The cell was almost completely silent - soundproof, probably - and it was a true blessing to Kyle's aching head. He stood there, feeling the headache fade away ever so slowly, when-

"Hello, Sanderson."

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What?!

The voice made Kyle spin around, barely noticing the pain that accompanied the motion. Adrenaline kicked into his system as every instinct in his body screamed at him in a desperate attempt to warn him of the sudden danger, but it was a waste of energy - Kyle already knew that voice all too well. 

Like some twisted nightmare, he found Blade leaning causally against the wall next to the bulk where the still-unconscious Jordane was resting.

He reacted instinctively, determined to incapacitate Blade before the older mutant had a chance to do anything, but the only result was a stab of pain in Kyle's mind as the remains of the drugs kicked in. Kyle gasped at the sudden pain, and Blade smirked, taking a step away from Jordane's unmoving shape.

"I'm afraid you can't use your powers here," he remarked with a hint of smug amusement, earning a glare from Kyle.

For a long moment there was only silence as they watched each other carefully, sizing up the potential threat the other might pose, and Kyle became painfully aware of the bad situation his lack of powers had put him in. If he'd still had his powers at his disposal, there was no doubt that he would have had the upper hand, but in this case...no. Kyle wasn't sure how many of Blade's fighting skills that could be contributed to his mutation, but he didn't want to find out.

Blade arched an eyebrow, confident in his abilities, and silently dared Kyle to try something - anything at all. Kyle eyed him warily, ready to defend himself if needed by, then frowned as he realized something - Blade had yet to make any threatening moves.

It didn't make sense - Kyle knew Blade, and knew that the older mutant preferred to attack rather than be attacked. He had to be planning something; there was no other explanation. Determined not to let down his defenses, Kyle watched his cellmate carefully, searching for any sign of an impending attack.

"Where are we?"

Brief, sharp question, and hopefully one Blade knew the answer to. Kyle had his suspicious about the cell, but he wanted them confirmed.

"An internment camp, I believe. This cell doesn't look like a part of a normal prison." Tense muscles, eyes carefully watching Kyle, but there was still no sign of real danger just yet.

"Why am I not surprised that you know how a prison looks from the inside?" Kyle asked acidly, smirking slightly as Blade's eyes narrowed in annoyance. 

"Unlike certain other people, I haven't made a habit of being caught in drug raids," the other mutant replied coldly.

Kyle frowned, his mind still not working at full speed. _How did he...?_

And suddenly the answer became all too clear. Realization dawned in Kyle's eyes, and Blade smiled, a hint of cruelty shining through. 

"Yes...Jhonen. After that little incident with Twilight, he was more than willing to tell us what we wanted to know."

"What did you do to him?" Kyle demanded, his voice every bit as cold and unyielding as Blade's.

Another smirk, the older mutant obviously enjoying the situation he'd put Kyle in.

"We didn't do much...we just offered him what he really wanted," Blade replied, every word taunting Kyle, reminding him of the young boy they'd failed to protect. "Power. Control. Freedom. Everything you failed to give him."

Kyle clenched his fists, refusing to let Blade's mocking words get to him. "Freedom?" he repeated. "Yeah, the freedom to get himself killed!"

"We all die eventually." A shrug, empathizing the indifference of the words, then followed by a more biting tone. "But unlike you, we won't ask him to die for the species that wants us dead." 

"We're not dead yet, aren't we?" Kyle bit back.

"Key word being 'yet'." The reply came only fragments of a second later, as Blade had already anticipated Kyle's argument. "Make no mistake, Sanderson - if we don't get out, they'll execute all of us."

"They wouldn't be able to keep it a secret from the media, and the public would never allow the government to get away with that," Kyle argued, feeling the first hints of doubt enter his mind. No, he didn't trust Blade, not by a long shot, but the older mutant had a point. It was limited how long you could keep hundreds of thousands of mutants imprisoned. What had the government planned? Lock up the cells, toss away the key, and keep them trapped for the rest of their natural lives? Not likely.

"The media will lose interest," Blade replied, his voice reflecting the ruthlessness of the words. "And when they do, we'll all be victims in an unfortunate prison riot."

"You're paranoid!" Kyle snapped. "They'd never be able to get away with that."

"They already have!" Blade growled, finally losing his temper. "I know, because I've helped them stage it once!"

Kyle's eyes widened in shock, his mind desperately trying to keep up with the information it received. 

"You *helped* the government kill our own kind?!" he demanded, angry and disbelieving. "How the hell could you do that?!"

A chilling smile, sending shivers down Kyle's spine.

"Actually, it was human criminals that got killed in that case. I found it rather enjoyable."

Kyle closed his eyes briefly, feeling vaguely nauseated at the cold remark. The man was insane, there was no other word for it. Christ...with Blade as their boss, no wonder the other members of the Shadow Alliance were twisted.

"You're sick," Kyle replied, half disgusted, half morbidly fascinated by the other man.

"Of course. It's the only way to survive in this world," Blade replied with a smirk, well aware of the effect his words had had on Kyle. The Guardians' reaction to him rarely failed to amuse him - so determined to stop him. So righteous in their anger. So worried about his next move. So afraid of what one man could do.

Amusing, yes, but in this case it could also prove to be an unwanted problem. They were stuck together in this cell, powerless and in the hands of the military. Getting into a fight with Kyle was something he did not need. It wasn't that he was afraid of his own safety - if it really came to a fight he was confident in his ability to win - it was more the fact that he didn't want to do the humans' dirty work for them by killing Kyle...accidentally or not.

There was no reply from Kyle, and Blade's eyes narrowed, watching the other thoughtfully. Kyle noticed Blade's sudden interest and tensed, expecting the worst, but the only reaction from Blade was a faint, smug grin.

"Relax, Sanderson. If I wanted to attack you, I would have done so by now," he remarked, still watching his cellmate carefully.

"So you're telling me that you won't attack me?" Kyle asked and glared at Blade. "Somehow, I don't believe you."

Blade smirked. "Actually, I have a suggestion for you." Kyle didn't reply, and Blade continued. "A temporary truce, just until we get out of here. And once we escape, you and your team can continue your futile crusade, if you want to."

Kyle laughed briefly, not believing what he'd just heard.

"A truce? *You*, of all people, are suggesting a truce? Forget whatever games you're playing, Blade. I'm not stupid."

"No games," Blade replied and shrugged. "I just don't want to give the humans the satisfaction of seeing us fight among ourselves. And think about it, Sanderson. You have everything to win, and nothing to lose."

"Except my life," Kyle replied acidly. 

"I don't think you got my point," Blade said, and this time there was a hint of threat in his voice. "If you want to fight, we'll do so, and you'll lie dead on the floor in two minutes. I'm sure Suzuka will try to get even when she wakes up, which will bring her in the same situation. Is that what you want?" No reply from Kyle, and Blade continued in a less threatening manner. "For once in your life stop letting your morality rule your decisions, and let your common sense decide instead."

Kyle's eyes grew cold, but even then the first hint of doubt could be seen in them. "What you suggest builds on trust, and I don't trust you, Blade."

"You don't have a choice." The reply was harsh and brutal, and all too true. "If we fight, I win, we both know that. Now if you insist, we can find some secluded spot once this is over, and fight until we're both dead. But right now, it would serve both of us better if we agree on a truce."

Kyle faltered slightly at those words. He didn't trust Blade, never would, but in this case it seemed that he didn't have a choice. Agree or die. Brutal and simple - exactly what he had learned to except from Blade.

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I just don't want to give the humans the satisfaction of seeing us fight among ourselves.

Blade's words echoed in Kyle's mind, and he reluctantly had to admit that the other had a point. The humans would no doubt find it immensely amusing to see two mutants fight to the death, and Kyle didn't feel very eager to serve as entertainment for their captors. 

Blade raised an eyebrow, watching Kyle impatiently.

"Well?"

Kyle sighed, and slowly, reluctantly, he made his choice.

"Agreed."

***


	68. Hell's Furnace

Dedicated with the outmost respect and admiration to the Pagan Wolf, Psycho Dave, and the rest of the regulars on the WeirdCrap forums. The 'Fuzzy' argument is credited to them, too.

A/N 1: You know the drill - ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: DaHippo: *blush* Thank you :) I'm honored that you like the story so much, even though you don't have a character in it :) And Zach and Deirdre...oh, I have plans for those two *grins*

A/N 3: Since I'm moving into my own apartment, and start at college on August 22nd, things will be a bit chaotic for a while. This means that that I probably won't be able to update until the beginning of September - I'll try to update next week, but I can't guarantee anything. Sorry ^^

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Fifty-Three: Hell's Furnace

***

Darkness...heavy and suffocating, engulfing her mind. Pain...dull, lingering, clear even through the disgusting murkiness. Voices...faint, distant, but increasingly clear as the darkness slowly disappeared. Voices...next to her?

Laetitia's instincts went on high alert as she realized how close the voices were, and she felt the adrenaline enter her blood. Surging through her body, it burned away the grogginess where it went, making her hum with energy and made it hard to remain motionless. Her instincts told her to get away from the possible threat - and if necessary fight it - but Laetitia suppressed the notion. She didn't know where she was, or who the people were, and getting into a fight without any knowledge of opponents or battleground was a bad idea. No...pretending to still be unconscious would be a better solution. It would give her the chance to find out a few things about the owners of the voices, and it would also give her the time needed to clear her head completely.

Laetitia concentrated on her body, slowly managing to suppress the natural instincts of fight or flight, and then forced herself to remain still and listen to the world around her.

"The burden of evidence lies on the religious people, not the rest of us," a female voice explained, apparently continuing an old argument. She sounded young to Laetitia, but still there was a certain edge of hardness to her voice. "They have a theory that our world is controlled by this invisible, vengeful father figure, and the only 'proof' they have, is a book written by common men."

"But...if so many people believe in God, there *must* be some truth in it, right?" a male voice replied, a hint of confusion shining through the words. He sounded like he was about the same age as the girl, but somehow his voice held a note of youthfulness that the girl's voice lacked. "I guess...I mean, I just find it hard to believe that there's nothing out there, and that there's no paradise, or Summerland, or Nirvana waiting for us," he continued, but not with nearly the same confidence as the girl had spoken with.

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Religion...? Interesting, Laetitia thought, still forcing herself to remain unmoving. Already as a child she'd learned that the more you knew about your enemy, the stronger you would stand in a fight against them. And these two people had yet to prove that they were not a possible threat.

"They have no *proof*! They claim he's out there, but they can't prove it!" the girl argued, anger entering her voice. She paused for a moment, then continued in an almost disturbingly cheerful way. "If that's the way things work, I think I'll start a new religion - the Order of Fuzzy, the Pink Bunny."

"The *what*?!" the boy explained incredulously, and Laetitia was hard pressed to keep the small smirk off her face at the sound of his obvious confusion.

"You haven't heard of our High Lord and Bunny yet?" the girl asked with a deceptively innocence. "But he's the only way to eternal life. Really. He lives on the moon, and his arch nemesis is Hairball, the Evil Kitty. Hairball wants to eat all the fish on earth, and Fuzzy wants to stop him." Somehow the girl managed to continue her strange reasoning while keeping a straight face, not a small feat considering the absurdity of her words.

"That doesn't make sense! What does bunnies have to do with anything?!" the boy objected, his frustration clear in his voice.

"But you can't disprove his existence, now can you?" the girl challenged.

"And you can't prove that he *does* exist," the boy shot back

"I don't have to. Religious people have no proof that there's some divine entity out there, remember?" A certain smugness had entered the voice now, Laetitia noted. The smugness that came only with the knowledge that you had won the battle, while your opponent had yet to realize that.

"But-" the boy tried, making one last attempt to argue with the girl. It was useless, though - his companion obviously knew what she was doing, and played her cards brilliantly.

"They refuse to produce any real evidence, and challenge the rest of us to disprove his existence instead. The same logic must apply to me, then - I claim Fuzzy exists, and until you can disprove that claim, I'm right," the girl stated, challenge now replaced by smug satisfaction.

"Zahra...that doesn't make any sense at all," the boy said, sighing softly. Obviously, this was something he'd tried before, with the same result.

"Religion rarely does, Daryn." This time the voice was kinder, less defiant - almost understanding, even, and Laetitia knew that the argument was slowly dissolving into nothing. She considered her options, then decided to 'wake up' before the two young people turned their attention to her, and realized that she had been listening to them. 

Laetitia moaned faintly and moved with a deliberately weakness, belying her real strength. The motion caught the attention of the two, and Laetitia heard one of them move closer.

"I think she's waking up," the boy - Daryn - noted, a hint of relief in his voice at this possible distraction from the argument. The fact that it was Daryn and not Zahra, who acted concerned about her, did not escape Laetitia's attention - much could be told about a person from the way they acted, and she was already building up a mental file about the young duo.

Laetitia opened her eyes and got her first look at her two companions. As expected, they were both young - Zahra seemed to be a few years younger than Laetitia herself, and Daryn was probably even younger. Both were dressed in similar clothes - dark blue pants and shirts, the style giving it a military look. 

Calmly, Laetitia let her eyes take in their appearance, adding to the mental file she kept. Thick, black hair, dark skin - 

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The Middle East, Laetitia decided as she looked at Zahra. Iran...Iraq...she wasn't sure, but it was probably in that general area. Hard features, too, and an angry look in her black eyes, giving her a slightly older look. Zahra's ears caught Laetitia's attention, and she frowned imperceptible. Strange, slightly pointy ear, apparently angled forward.

__

A result of her mutation, or a mutation in itself? Laetitia wondered, but pushed the thought aside and focused on the boy instead.

Daryn was almost the exact opposite - his face held none of the hardness that Zahra showed, and his brown eyes had a glint of seriousness that was unusual for someone his age. His hair-color belied that apparent seriousness, though - light blue streaks and tips, somehow reminding Laetitia of Jordane. 

She frowned at the thought of her teammates, wondering where they had ended up, but reluctantly had to admit to herself that right now, there was nothing she could do. Ignoring Daryn's concerned look, Laetitia slowly sat up, wincing only slightly as the faint, throbbing headache intensified for a moment.

"Hey, be careful - it takes a while before the pain disappears," Daryn said. Laetitia didn't reply, and the boy continued. "I'm Daryn Kogatana, and that's Zahra..."

"Malik," his companion supplied with a vaguely annoyed look. "Zahra Malik."

"Umm...yeah. What she said," the boy added, sounded a bit embarrassed.

Laetitia nodded, filing the names away for future reference. "My name is Laetitia Tatapoulos," she introduced herself, deciding to go with the truth. It was highly unlikely that these children - yes, compared to her they were hardly more than children - had heard of her, anyway. "What is this place?"

Daryn hesitated slightly before answering.

"Well...I don't know what happened to you before this, but you see, the thing is..."

"Would you just tell her where we are?" Zahra demanded and then answered Laetitia's question before Daryn had the chance to finish. "You're in a mutant camp. Officially, its name is Outpost Five, but everybody calls it Hell's Furnace. You're in the low-security wing with the rest of us beta-level muties."

Laetitia nodded slowly, her mind processing this new information. A mutant camp...well, that certainly explained the clothes the two were wearing. She looked to her side, and found several similar sets of clothes lying on an unused bed.

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Mutant camp...low-level security? 

She frowned. That didn't make sense - the police had her name and photo in their database. They *knew* who she was, what she could do. They would never make a mistake like that, not-

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Sergey.

The answer was so obvious that she wondered why she hadn't thought of it before - he had the resources to do something like this...and he was also the reason why she, Blade, and Jordane had been caught in the first place. It had been a trap, Laetitia didn't doubt that for a moment, and judging from the situation she now found herself in, she hadn't been the main target.

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You sold them to the government, Laetitia thought disgusted as she realized just what had taken place. _You handed over two fellow mutants to the humans...you traitor!_

But why had he gone through all that trouble? Or actually, why had the government been willing to pay him to go through all that trouble...unless...

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No.

It was so simple once she thought about it - the government had long been under pressure to do something about the mutant problem, and they desperately needed a victory to show that they *were* doing something. And what would be more efficient than the widely publicized trial of two notorious mutants?

Except...they would never actually get to the point of the trial. Laetitia knew Blade, knew how he thought and acted. He would never accept the humiliation of a trial, especially not a public one. He would die before letting the humans put him in that situation, Laetitia didn't doubt that for a second.

This was bad...very bad.

The hollow sound of a door being opened nearby tore Laetitia out of her musings, and she looked sharply at the door to her own cell. Zahra noticed the motion and rolled her eyes.

"Would you calm down? It's just one of the daily, little walks," she explained, her voice clearly telling what she thought of *that* idea. "They let us walk around outside twice a day to prove to the media that we actually have it pretty good here, and that we aren't just animals in cages." The last part was added with a biting sarcasm, but Laetitia ignored it and focused on the possibilities this little piece of information revealed. 

"Where, exactly, are we?" she asked, and Zahra sent her a look.

"Death Valley. Why?" No reply from Laetitia, and Zahra snorted. "What? Are you thinking about escaping? It's suicide - why do you think they build this prison here? If you head out there on your own, you'll die from dehydration or heatstroke within a day."

"It's happened before," Daryn added quietly. "They brought back the bodies to set an example."

Still no reaction from Laetitia, and Zahra looked like she wanted to say something else, but the sound of their door being opened stopped her.

Four soldiers stepped inside the cell, their weapons aimed the mutants. Obviously used to it, Zahra and Daryn headed to the door, while Laetitia hesitated for a few, brief seconds, giving herself the time needed to remember the amount of weapons the soldiers carried, and how much training they seemed to have. One of the soldiers motioned towards Laetitia, and the young woman got up with a deliberate confidence. The trio followed the soldiers outside, joining up with a larger group of mutants down a larger hallway

Laetitia quickly searched for any familiar faces, but not surprisingly, she found none. A motion from one of the soldiers, and the group moved further down the hallway, occasionally pausing to wait for another small group of mutants to join them.

Never taking her eyes of the surrounding, Laetitia followed the group down to a pair of large doors, imprinting the details of the prison in her mind. Another motion and the doors were opened, the mutants reluctantly heading outside, guarded by the soldiers.

The burning sun hit Laetitia like a kick to the head and made her eyes sting as she looked at the dusty white landscape beyond the heavy fences. A small gust of wind reached her, not cooling her down like usual, but instead only serving to intensify the already unbearable heat. One of the human guards looked at Laetitia, but the mutant just raised an eyebrow defiantly, refusing to let the desert heat break her. She surveyed the area again, letting her eyes linger on the small, distant mountains, and suddenly the camp's name made all too much sense. 

__

Hell's Furnace? She paused, watching the heat radiate from the ground, giving everything a twisted, distorted feeling.

Fitting.

***


	69. Revelations

A/N 1: You know the drill - ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: Maxwell Dark: Plans? *smirk* We'll find out...eventually.

WritingMoose: Thank you ^^. And I'm majoring in economics, of all things...*g*

A/N 3: One last update before I move - I'll be offline from tomorrow and for at least the next three weeks, so don't expect any updates until sometime in the middle of September. Sorry ^^

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Fifty-Four: Revelations

***

"We *what*?!" 

Zach stared dumbfounded at Deirdre, his mind still not completely able to comprehend what she'd just said. Things were moving way too fast for his liking, and the harsh accusation did nothing to help his mood. 

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about!" Deirdre yelled angrily, glaring at Zach with eyes that burned with hatred. "You. Killed. Prue!" she repeated, biting out each word, as if she could strike Zach down with that one sentence alone.

"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Zach demanded. "We've never even met the girl! How could we-"

And suddenly it struck him, that last piece that completed the puzzle and showed him a picture he did not want to see. That night when he'd seen the others down in the parking lot, that night when Nike for some unimaginable reason had changed her clothes while downtown, that night that Blade refused to talk about...

His eyes widened, pain, confusion, and betrayal intermingled, fighting for control, and showed beyond any doubt the shock he felt. 

"No..." Zach trailed off as the full impact of the words hit him. Jhonen had been downtown that night with Nike, Blade, and Jordane, meaning that-

__

He helped them.

The realization hit him hard and painfully, and Zach felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as he finally understood what Nike had done. Because this was Nike's fault, Zach knew that. It had to be - she'd taken Jhonen; innocent, harmless Jhonen whom Zach had actually started to like, and turned him into her obedient pet, her little toy. She destroyed, that was all she could do. She destroyed whatever goodness she came into contact with, contaminated it with her very presence, and turned it into a twisted version of what it once was.

And now that included Jhonen.

__

No...

Deirdre faltered slightly at the look of clear shock on Zach's face and felt her anger diminish - you couldn't fake that shocked a look, it was impossible. But still...how could he *not* know? They were his teammates!

"You mean you didn't - they didn't tell you?" she asked confused, almost not believing the conclusion her mind had reached. Zach was a part of the Shadow Alliance and had been so for a long time. He should know what was going on, shouldn't he? "But I thought..."

"...That we already knew about it?" Zach finished, faint bitterness tainting his voice, speaking its clear language about the betrayal he felt. "It doesn't work that way, girl. Blade tells us what we need to know, that's it." He shook his head, frustration clear on his face. "What happened?" he demanded, a bit of strength returning to his voice.

Deirdre clenched her fists, felt the nails dig into her skin, and welcomed the pain as a brief distraction from the emotional wounds she had. 

"They cornered us in a diner," she explained, eyes heavy with grief, but still she refused to break Zach's intense stare. "They forced us outside...and then Nike killed Prue. She didn't even give her a chance!"

She had expected denial from Zach, to hear him say that his team would never do something like that, but his only reaction was a look of burning anger in his eyes at the sound of Laetitia's name and the atrocity she'd committed.

"Laetitia?" he asked. He clenched his fists, his anger turning into cold fury, and it became obvious to Deirdre that teammate or not, Blitz did *not* care much for Nike. "I'm not surprised," he continued, not bothering to wait for a reply. "She doesn't care about fair fights - she kills for money. That woman is a-"

"- Monster," Deirdre finished quietly, never taking her eyes off Zach. She'd always seen the Shadow Alliance as a group rather than individuals, and the thought that they, like any other team, had their arguments and disagreements, had never crossed her mind. And not only arguments - Zach's behavior went beyond a simple disagreement. It was hatred, there was no other way to describe it.

Zach sighed and ran a hand through his unruly hair. "Yeah...that pretty much covers it."

Deirdre blinked, her mind finally starting to catch up with the things she'd just heard. It was shocking to say the least. The past few minutes had taught her more about the Shadow Alliance than a year and a half with the Guardians had, and the sudden revelation that they weren't as close-knit as she had always thought, made her mind spin. 

"I just thought..." she trailed off, not sure how to explain what she felt.

"That we were all a bunch of homicidal maniacs?" Zach suggested, a hint of anger in his voice. "You're basing your opinion on two infamous assassin - you don't even know the rest of us!"

Deirdre didn't reply, and Zach sighed and turned away.

"I'm not like Blade and Nike," he said, tired from the argument and the shock and confusion Deirdre's explanation had brought. "I don't kill people unless it's in self-defense; none of us do."

"Then why do you stay?" Deirdre asked quietly.

Zach turned around to face the girl again. "Because they gave us a place to belong," he explained, and this time there was none of the hatred in his voice, only a seriousness that was rather unusual for him. "They're my teammates - I owe my loyalty to them, whether they deserve it or not."

"You don't have to stay with them. You could join us instead," Deirdre offered, but Zach just smirked.

"And what? Help you protect the people who got us here in the first place? I don't think do, Deirdre."

Deirdre didn't reply, but merely leaned back against the wall, doing her best to ignore Zach's argument. Zach watched her for a moment, then lay down on his bed, nursing his aching head.

Neither of them noticed that he'd just called her by her real name for the first time ever.

***

"You can't be serious!" West demanded angrily. "You're suggesting a truce with the people who killed Prue? Are you out of your mind?!"

Diana sighed and rubbed her temples. Things were going a lot worse than expected, and her headache had returned with renewed strength at the prospect of an argument with West. And they shouldn't even have been able to have this argument, should they? If West had even half the headache that Diana had woken up with, there was no way he should have been able to summon this amount of anger without any trace of pain.

But unfortunately, either logic didn't apply to her new teammate, or he had managed to push aside his discomfort by the sheer energy of his anger alone. Either way, it meant that Diana's headache was bound to get worse once the real argument started.

"*They* didn't kill Prue, Nike did," Diana explained, with as much patience as she could muster in her current state. "Hal and Pheonix didn't even know what had happened until I told them!"

"That's what they tell you, yeah!" West snapped. Usually, it wasn't in his nature to show such displays of anger, but in this case he was more than willing to make an exception. The grief and fury he felt needed an outlet, and crying like a baby in front of Prue's killers was not an option.

"They're telling the truth," Diana stated, fighting her growing impatience. 

"How do you know?" West challenged.

Diana sighed. "I don't," she admitted. "But I don't think they're lying about it." West didn't reply, and Diana tried one last time. "I know what I'm doing, West. Trust me. *Please*."

For a moment she saw doubt enter West's eyes, then the boy made a frustrated sound and sat down on his bed, resting his head in his hands. Diana sighed quietly.

No...this wasn't going well at all.

***

At the other end of the small cell, Pheonix and Hal watched the argument silently, both caught up in their own thoughts. Diana's revelation had been stunning to say the least, and both girls were still trying to come to terms with what they'd just heard. It wasn't the fact that Laetitia had killed someone that shocked them - they weren't stupid; they knew what kind of assignments the leaders of their team sometimes accepted - it was more the nature of this particular murder. To cold-bloodedly slit the throat of an innocent teenage girl, and be more than willing to let her friend watch...that was beyond what both Hal and Pheonix thought Laetitia capable of. Blade, yes, maybe - after all, through her powers Hal had seen that he was more than willing to go to extremes when needed be. But Laetitia...?

"How could she do something like that?" Pheonix asked quietly. "I mean, sure, I know she's killed people before, but..." she trailed off uncertainly.

"I don't know," Hal replied in the same quiet voice. "Revenge, maybe...she wasn't happy about Ryan knocking her out."

"How could Blade let her do it? How could *Jhonen* let her do it?! How could he just stand there and watch her kill one of his former teammates?" Pheonix demanded, irrationally hoping that Hal had an explanation. 

__

Because she's slowly been turning him into her pet ever since he joined us, and you didn't want to see that, Hal didn't say, and instead settled for a small sigh. "You know that Blade lets her do pretty much what she wants to do," she reminded Pheonix. "And Jhonen...he's too smart to go against Nike when she's like that."

Pheonix didn't reply and for a moment the two girls just stood there, silently watching West as he sat unmoving on his bed. Diana, too, was watching West, all of them aware that the boy needed his time to consider things before he made a decision.

"How could you not have known?" he finally asked; harsh, demanding, and one some level probably deserved as well.

Hal took a step forward, unconsciously taking charge of the situation. "Do you think they tell us everything?" she asked, but West didn't reply. "They tell us what they feel we need to know. We were all aware that they had been downtown that night, but we didn't know what had happened."

"And you didn't even ask them?" West asked disbelieving.

Hal raised her head slightly, meeting his harsh words without blinking. "Zach did. They told him to stay out of it. And in all honestly, most of us didn't *want* to know what took place. We assumed it was an assignment and left it at that - if they were paid to kill someone, we would prefer not to know about it."

"How can you let them get away with that?!" West demanded angrily.

So far Diana had listened to the argument with growing worry, all too aware that it was only a matter of time before Hal or Pheonix lost their patience. For a moment she considered stepping in and put a stop to it, but decided against it. If they should have any chance of working together at all, they needed to get things out in the open. And so Diana pushed her worry a bit aside, and stepped back to watch with Pheonix. 

Hal's eyes narrowed slightly, her patience slowly starting to wear thin thanks to West. If he wanted it rough, then fine by her. 

"We 'let them get away with that' because they helped us when no one else wanted to," she snapped. "They keep us safe and off the streets, and make sure that we have what we need. And if we have to look the other way when they disappear for days or weeks, then we'll do that."

West blinked in surprise, taken aback by her sharp reply. "But there're alternatives - you don't have to-"

"*What* alternatives?" Hal interrupted sharply. "Orphanages? Shelters for homeless people? Or maybe with a team that protects the race that's trying to kill us? No - we made our choice, West, whether you like it or not!" Hal's voice grew sharper and more clear and demanded by each passing second as she found herself drawing on her impatience to shut the boy up. "Now listen carefully - Diana was smart enough to propose a temporary truce. I strongly suggest that you accept that offer. We don't need your help, understand that? We couldn't care less about what happens to you, and the only reason why we have tolerated your accusations so far, is because you're too high on your anger and grief to think straight."

West didn't reply, but he seemed to falter slightly at the angry outburst, and Hal found herself absurdly pleased that she'd managed to get that reaction through words alone. 

"I don't trust you," West finally stated.

"We don't ask you to," Hal replied. 

"You killed Prue." Some of his anger seemed to return, and Hal decided to handle it before it got any worse.

"We already had that discussion," she replied curtly, drawing on the cold, uncaring attitude she'd seen Blade and Nike display so often. She didn't like it much, but in this case she was willing to make an exception - there was no way West would listen to reason, and she didn't want to listen to his constant accusations for however long they were stuck there. "Do you accept the truce, yes or no?"

For a long moment there was only silence. Then West sighed and looked away.

"Yes...I accept it."

***


	70. Judges

A ban on interactive fics? What the...? Sheesh. You go drinking for a week, and the whole world goes to Hell. Oh, well. If the unlikely happens and they actually start to delete interactive fics, rest assured that this little baby will be re-uploaded in the 'originals' section, with one or two changes.

Oh, well - on with the show. I know I said not to expect any updates until mid-September, but I got my log-in at Copenhagen U., and the truth is that I can't keep my hands away from the fic for extended periods of time. Sad, I know *sigh*. Oh, yeah - and Genesis and Exodus, the next two chapters, should hopefully be out soon, too. Well, before the end of the month, anyway.

A/N 1: You know the drill - ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: T'Girl: More couples? Not telling ^^

_Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy_

*                    *                      *

Chapter Fifty-Five: Judges

*                    *                      *

"Why?"

The word, although quiet, rang through the air like a shout, piercing the silence that had been unbearable already before Ben and Aaron had woken up and found themselves trapped in the cell.

Jhonen looked up, meeting Ryan's unwavering gaze, and felt an uneasiness enter his body. He didn't want to answer, didn't want to get into the unavoidable argument with his former leader, but he also knew that he couldn't just remain silent. He'd made his choice, and already as a child, he'd learned that he should be ready to defend his choices.

And still, he didn't want to.

_What am I supposed to say? Jhonen wondered quietly. __'Hey, Ryan. Sorry I betrayed all of you, and helped your nemesis kill Prue, but the Shadow Alliance gave me a better offer'?_

"Don't you think you owe us an explanation?" Ryan continued, his voice unyielding, but his eyes still revealed the pain and betrayal he felt.

"You wouldn't understand," Jhonen replied defensively, and immediately realized how childish the argument sounded. "You don't know what I've been through."

Ryan arched an eyebrow.

"I don't know what you're been through?" he repeated. "I've lived on the streets, too, Jhonen. I know exactly what it feels like to be tired and lonely and hungry. And I also know how important loyalty to your friends is if you want to survive on out there. Quit lying and tell Ben and me the real reason. Don't you think you owe us, at least?" he asked harshly, but there was no reaction from the boy. "How could you do something like that? Blade is a killer - they all are. How could you even consider helping them?!"

Jhonen remained silent, unable to form a suitable reply. His thoughts and emotions made sense to himself, but once he tried to explain them in words, it came out all wrong. After listening to Ryan, he wanted to defend himself, to tell his two former teammates that he'd made the right decision, but somehow he couldn't. 

"How could you even consider helping the humans?" Aaron challenged and stepped in, having seen Jhonen's uncertainty, and wanting to help his new friend. "It's the same thing - how can you defend them after all they've done to us?"

Ryan's attention snapped from Jhonen to Aaron, his mind having all but forgotten about the young mutant.

"Not all humans are evil," Ryan replied carefully, knowing that Aaron was up to something, but not quite certain what it was. "We shouldn't judge their entire race on the actions of the minority."

"The minority?" Aaron replied, a forked tongue swiping out, tasting the air. "They wouldn't be able to pull something like this off if they'd only been supported by the minority." The words were slow, calm, and deliberate, the 's'-sounds drawn out into hisses, giving the sentences a snake-like quality.

"The only reason why they've been able to get away with this, is because that minority holds the real power on this continent," Ryan argued. "It's only a matter of time before the public realizes what is happening and starts to fight against it. The human race is not evil by nature."

"Easy for you to say!" Aaron snapped. "Do you really think the humans are willing to accept someone who looks like this?" he asked, indicating his scales and sharp fangs. "The only reason why you and the rest of your team can walk safely on the streets, is because they think you're like them - the moment they realize you're a mutie, they'll start to hate you, too."

"He's right," Jhonen said, finally stepping into the argument. "You look normal, and so do Ben and I. We can all pass for humans. That's why we've never been noticed by the normals."

"You're forgetting that Suzuka has black and golden hair," Ryan pointed out. "And she's never had any problems."

"Golden hair can be explained by hair dye," Aaron replied disgusted. "You've never seen how the humans look at Hal and me - they treat us like we've have some kind of disease. You can defend them all you want, but until *you've* been at the receiving end their so-called 'tolerance', you have no idea of what you're talking about." 

"And you think that breaking the law is going to help change that opinion?" Ben asked, unable to just listen impassively anymore. "You're only making things worse." 

"We're not trying to change the way they see us," Aaron hissed. "We're just trying to survive."

"But you couldn't extend the same courtesy to a fellow mutant?" Ryan asked coldly, and Jhonen winced.

"What are you talking about?" Aaron demanded, looking suspiciously from Ryan and to Ben and back again. He never noticed the faint look of guilt that finally showed on Jhonen's face, but Ryan did. 

"Why don't you ask your new teammate?" he suggested. "I think he'll be more that willing to tell you what happened when he ran into Deirdre and Prue downtown."

Aaron looked at Jhonen, confusion obvious on his face.

"Jhonen?"

The boy looked away, but didn't reply. Without Laetitia to justify what had happened, he felt himself lose his confidence with each passing second. It had sounded so right when she had explained it to him, but now...

Aaron's eyes locked on Ryan again, demanding an explanation, and Ryan motioned towards Jhonen.

"Your new teammate here helped Blade, Nike, and Melee kill girl name Prue. It was cold-blooded murder - they cornered her and Seraphim in an alley and slit her throat," he explained, allowing some of the pain and anger he felt to show in his eyes. "She was innocent, and there was nothing she could have done to defend herself."

Aaron's eyes widened slightly, and he looked at Jhonen again, silently asking the other to deny what happened, and say it was all a cruel lie.

"It's true," Jhonen finally admitted and looked away.

"How could you-" Aaron began, but cut himself off as he suddenly realized something. Cretes had said that Laetitia had been downtown, too, and Aaron remembered all too well how much attention the Greek mercenary had shown their latest teammate. She didn't give people that much attention unless she had an ulterior motive, and in this case that motive was so obvious that Aaron had to wonder why he hadn't thought of it before. Laetitia had always been disturbingly fond of mindgames, and someone as innocent as Jhonen would have been the perfect toy. And with Blade and Jordane to back her up...

_He never had a chance, Aaron realized._

"Your team might survive, but other people pay the price," Ryan said and watched Aaron carefully. "Do you really want to live with the knowledge that the road to your freedom is paved with the bodies of the people your teammates have killed?"

"It's not like that," Aaron denied. "You think we have any control of what Blade and Nike do? They would have done the same thing even if we hadn't been there." 

"So you just stand back and accept it?" Ryan demanded.

"We do what we have to do to survive, Cretes. You can't blame us for that," Aaron snapped, his almost unnaturally even patience starting to wear thin.

"Even if it means following the orders of a killer?" Ryan asked, anger and disbelief fighting for control.

Aaron hesitated for only fragments of a second, then raised his head, eyes narrowing coldly. 

"If you mean a killer who saved my life and took me in from the streets...then yes. I'd follow him."

And for the first time ever, Ryan realized that Aaron just might be as dangerous as the rest of the Shadow Alliance after all.

*                    *                      *

"You made a deal with *them*?!" Suzuka repeated angrily, making the last word sound like an insult...which it probably was, Kyle realized. He'd tried to explain the situation to Suzuka as well as he could and make her understand the danger they were in, but to no avail. As he'd feared, her hatred towards the Shadow Alliance had taken over completely, and he was pretty sure that only her headache and lack of powers kept her from trying to kill Blade. 

Blade...

Kyle looked briefly at the man, partially from suspiciousness, partially out of curiosity about how he would take Suzuka's harsh words. Not surprisingly, the only reaction he showed was a small smirk as he watched the Japanese girl, clearly amused by her anger.

"How could you do something like that?!" Suzuka demanded, and Kyle sighed. She wouldn't be very open to logic when she was like this, so it would be next to impossible to talk some sense into her.  

"Suzuka..." he began, but was interrupted as Blade stepped away from the now conscious Jordane and walked closer.

"He did it because he has something called 'common sense'...which you so clearly lack," he said, the hint of an arrogant smile touching his lips as he deliberately picked the words that would infuriate Suzuka the most.

Kyle tightened his grip on Suzuka, but it was already too late - with the strength that came only with anger she tore herself lose, and got out on the cold floor, glaring angrily at Blade. A movement from Jordane's bed caught Kyle's attention, and he saw the girl getting up, a worried expression on her face. 

A brief look at Suzuka and Blade revealed that they had discovered the same thing, and Blade held up his hands, causing Jordane to stop with obvious reluctance. 

"Blade..." she tried, never taking her eyes off Suzuka, but Blade just shook his head.

"No."

Jordane remained unmoving for a moment, then sighed almost inaudibly and took a few steps back. Kyle had watched the entire scene carefully, and added this new development to the mental file marked 'the Shadow Alliance'. Truth be told, he had never paid much attention to Jordane - yes, she was Blade's second in command, but there were other, more dangerous members of the group. But maybe it was time to change that - Blade's order hadn't held its usual coldness, and that alone was enough to suggest that maybe Jordane was more important than they had ever suspected.

Suzuka took a step closer to Blade, and Kyle forced the thoughts aside and focused on the two persons on the floor. Blade arched an eyebrow, the arrogant gesture only serving to infuriate Suzuka even further. 

For a moment Kyle considered stepping between the two, but quickly realized that it would be useless - both were better fighters than he was, and Suzuka was beyond reasoning. Instead he took a step back to get out of the way, silently hoping that things wouldn't get out of hand. 

Blade watched Kyle out of the corner of his eye, then turned his attention to Suzuka again. With a deliberately slow movement, he let his eyes take in her appearance, letting his gaze linger on the newly healed cut on her cheek, a faint, pale mark still visible on her skin. 

"It seems like your healer did a good job fixing you," he remarked.

Suzuka didn't reply, but clenched her fists tightly in an attempt to keep her temper in check, the knuckles turning white from the strength she used. Blade smirked, amused by the thinly veiled anger the girl showed, and continued in a deceptively casual voice.

"Tell me...how have you been? It's been a while since we last had the chance to...talk." The last word was said with a faint, confident smile, and Suzuka's eyes blazed with fury at his nonchalance. 

Her pain forced aside by the adrenaline in her body, Suzuka's patience finally snapped and she charged Blade with an angry growl. The man deflected her attack in the nick of time, and Suzuka felt a cold satisfaction at the thought that she'd actually managed to take him by surprise for once. 

"What's wrong, Heron? Getting old?" she taunted, but much to her dismay, Blade didn't allow the insult to get to him.

"Such harsh words...I thought you'd learned by now that experience more than outweighs youthful enthusiasm," he replied, watching her carefully. This wasn't the first time he'd tried to fight without his powers, but the sudden loss of his telepathy - and thus his ability to predict an opponent's next move - combined with the decrease in his strength still took him by surprise. It wasn't going to help Suzuka much, though - now that he'd become aware of his sudden weakness, he would also be able to compensate for it.

And the best way to do that would be to keep the element of surprise on his side. 

Without warning, Blade attacked, and even though Suzuka was prepared, she was fragments of a second too slow. She ducked his first strike, then lashed out at him, but driven by blind fury she had forgotten that a second attack was far from unthinkable. She only realized her mistake as Blade spun around, sending her to the ground with a well-placed kick, and Suzuka knew that only years of training had saved her from serious injuries. She got back on her feet before Blade could attack again, and the two slowly circled each other, both determined not to underestimate their opponent again.

Kyle took a step forward, starting to worry about Suzuka, but a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned his head, and was surprised to find Jordane watching him with a serious look in her eyes.

"Don't - you can't stop them, anyway," she said quietly, her eyes leaving Kyle's for a moment to rest on Blade instead.

Kyle didn't like it one bit, but he had to admit that she was right. He wouldn't be able to talk some sense into the two fighters when they were like that; nobody would. At best they would ignore him. At worst...Kyle didn't want to think about that option.

Kyle stepped back and looked at Jordane, but she was silent, her attention focused on Blade once more.

_Well...that was interesting, Kyle mused, then pushed the thought aside and turned his attention to the fight instead._

Out on the floor, Blade and Suzuka still circled each other slowly, occasionally charging, although the attacks were more tests of the other, rather than meant to cause any serious injuries. Slowly, deliberately, both watched and waited for that one moment where the other would let down their defenses and leave themselves open to attacks for a few, brief seconds.

Suzuka let her eyes flicker across the room, unconsciously checking on Kyle, and that one, brief moment was all Blade needed. He attacked immediately, and even though Suzuka saw him move, she didn't have nearly enough time. She felt herself hit the wall forcefully, followed by a sharp pain as Blade pinned her against the cold concrete of the wall, doing his best to keep her subdued. Suzuka fought her arm loose and hit him in the shoulder with as much strength as she could muster in her current situation, but Blade ignored the pain and merely tightened his grip on Suzuka, anger all too visible in his eyes.

"You keep provoking me, girl, and Sanderson dies. Do we understand each other?" Blade whispered harshly, his voice low enough so that only Suzuka would be able to hear him. 

Suzuka glared hatefully at him. "What? Are you afraid to lose, so you'll threaten Kyle instead? Coward!" she hissed.  

"No. I just don't intend to let myself be slowed down by a useless sense of honor," was the cold reply. "Now what's it going to be, Twilight? Either you and Sanderson live, or you both die. The choice is yours."

"This isn't over," Suzuka growled angrily. 

Not the slightest bit intimidated by her threat, Blade stroked Suzuka's cheek lightly where the scar from knife-wound was. Disgusted at the gesture, the girl turned her head away, and the man smirked coldly and took a step back.

"I'm glad we reached an agreement," his said, this time in his normal voice.

Suzuka didn't reply, but the cold fire in her eyes said all that needed to be said. She would kill Blade...or die trying. 

*                    *                      *


	71. Genesis

Due to the workload at uni, I can't guarantee a chapter every week anymore. I will do my best to keep that deadline, but if the chapters are occasionally delayed, please have patience with me. 

A/N 1: You know the drill - ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: MissNovelist: *lazy grin* Actually, _Revelations_ and _Judges_ are biblical titles, too ^^. And that was the useless fact of the day ;)

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Fifty-Six: Genesis

***

To anyone watching, the young, Greek woman seemed almost distracted, violet eyes absently following the walls as the mutants, followed by their human guards, walked down the wide hallway. She seemed lost in thought, absorbed in her own, little world far from the hell of sand and metal that surrounded her. A random mutant among others, tired and weary, and with no hope of escape left that so many of the new arrivals harbored. 

But as so often, appearances could - and did - deceive. 

Behind the absent and almost empty look in Laetitia's eyes, her mind worked at full speed to find a way out of her unpleasant situation. Constantly watching, waiting, judging her wardens, her surroundings, even her follow prisoners.

Violet eyes fell on Daryn, a hint of interest visible even through the deliberate facade of apathy as she watched the boy. While Zahra hadn't been very talkative, revealing only her name and native country - Iran - the boy was actually rather friendly, and Laetitia had learned quite a bit about him during the low conversation they'd had outside. And of all the things they had talked about, one particular revelation kept circling her mind - Daryn's mutation.

Telepathy and elemental control were common - Laetitia herself had met more than a few mutants with those particular powers, and even had two of them as her teammates. Telekinesis and shape shifting weren't unusual, either, but up until now, she'd never heard of anyone with Daryn's power. 

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The ability to communicate with electronics...how very useful, Laetitia almost purred in her mind, her eyes never leaving Daryn. 

The boy sent her an uncomfortable look, unnerved by the attention she showed him, but Laetitia merely smiled faintly and looked away. He couldn't use his powers while he still had the collar on, but if Laetitia could get rid of those collars, there would be very little that could stop them from escaping. 

The problem wouldn't be *how* to unlock the collars, though, but instead when to strike. Laetitia had seen a guard use a key on one of the collars, and knew what to look for. But with four guards watching her every move, she would have to time her attack carefully. 

It would have to be quick, efficient...and soon. She needed to act before the guards became used to the sudden increase of prisoners, to act while she would still have the element of surprise on her side. Laetitia looked at Daryn and Zahra and frowned almost imperceptibly. She couldn't count on any help from those two - they were hardly fighters, and would most likely do more harm than good in a fight. 

That left her to rely only on herself, but somehow she didn't mind. She'd worked alone before, and knew she could handle it. Now it was only a matter of choosing the right time to strike, and she had already decided on that. 

The four guards forced Laetitia and her two cellmates away from the other group of mutants and down the hallway towards the cell. Laetitia felt her body begin to hum with restless energy as she prepared her attack, her every muscle tensing in anticipation of a fight. Down the hallway, around the corner, and the small group paused momentarily as one of the guards opened the door. Two of the humans forced Zahra and Daryn into the cell, following them to keep an eye on the two, and Laetitia found the moment of weakness she had been looking for. Acting purely on instincts developed through countless hours of training, she spun around and sent one of the humans to the ground with a hard kick in the groin, then easily snapped the neck of the other before he had the chance to use his gun on her. The two other guards were far from rookies, and reacted to this sudden threat before Laetitia had even finished her attack, but they weren't up to Laetitia's standards. Taking advantage of their momentary confusion, she attacked, knocking one of the guards out, then spun around, only to find that Zahra had already taken care of the last one. The Iranian girl rubbed her hand and looked to Laetitia as if to ask 'what now?' 

"Help me drag the guards inside the cell," Laetitia ordered curtly and pointedly ignored the horrified look Daryn sent the dead human.

Zahra hesitated for only a moment, then helped Laetitia get the humans into the cell. 

"You do know that thanks to you, we're going to die if they capture us, right?" she remarked, less angry than Laetitia had expected.

"Then why do you help me?" the Greek girl asked, almost indifferently. She had other and more important things on her mind than her cellmates' complains.

"What was the alternative?" Zahra asked rhetorically as she helped Laetitia drag the last guard into the cell. 

Laetitia reached down and took the weapons and keys from one of the guards, then unlocked her collar and felt a faint tingling as her mutant power returned. She waited for Daryn and Zahra to open their own collars, then she motioned towards the door. "Let's go."

Daryn looked like he wanted to object, but remained silent, too smart to get into an argument during a situation as grave as this. He left the cell, following Zahra and Laetitia, and tried not to look at the dead guard by the door. 

"What do we do now?" he asked, trying to distract himself momentarily from the situation.

Laetitia eyes narrowed as she scanned the hallway, looking for any possible enemies. She'd already decided on a course of action, and for once she didn't intend to sneak out of the place. With a prison facility of this size, it would be next to impossible to escape unnoticed, so she would have to arrange for some sort of distraction to make the humans focus on someone else.

And she knew just how to handle that.

"Hey...where are you going? The exit-signs point that way," Daryn said, nodded down a wide hallway.

"I'm not heading for the exits," Laetitia remarked curtly and continued down a smaller hallway, which ran in the opposite direction of the one Daryn had just motioned towards. "I'm looking for the control room."

"Are you insane?!" Zahra snapped. "We need to get out of here - now. We won't have time for a tour of the place."

"Then you're more than welcome to try to get out on your own, girl," Laetitia replied coldly. "This place is too big and too populated for three people to get out unnoticed. We'll need a distraction."

"What distraction?" Daryn asked, starting to get a bad feeling about things. It had already become clear to him that this Greek girl was fundamentally different from any other person he'd ever met. She was dangerous and cold-blooded, and unnerved Daryn more than he'd thought possible. 

"A system shutdown," Laetitia replied, this time with a faint smirk on her lips. "If the locks and security systems suddenly stop working, the humans will be too busy to keep the rest of the prisoners under control to make sure that everyone is present."

"You're crazy - it'll never work," Daryn said, shaking his head. "How will you even pull something like that off?"

"*I* won't," Laetitia replied, checking that the area was clear before she continued down a new hallway. "You will."

"Me?!" Daryn repeated disbelieving. "But-"

"You can talk to electronic equipment, can't you?" Laetitia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, but-"

"No buts," Laetitia interrupted, her voice leaving no room for an argument. "If you don't do this, none of us will be able to make it out of here alive. It's that simple."

Daryn looked uncertainly at Zahra, seeking support with her, but found her nodding in agreement with Laetitia. 

"She's right. This isn't the time to talk about morality," she said. "We need to get out of here, and you can help us do that."

Daryn bit his lower lip anxiously, then sighed. "All right. I'll help you."

Laetitia didn't reply, but quickly readied her stolen guns as they turned around another corner and found themselves in the hallway that led to the control room. The two guards at the end of the hallway reacted instantly, aiming their weapons, but before they could fire, they had already fallen victim to Laetitia's two guns. 

Daryn looked away for a moment, but didn't react otherwise, and Laetitia smiled faintly. Maybe there was hope for the boy after all. 

The trio stopped by the door, ignoring the surveillance cameras that were aimed at them. It had been a deliberate choice from Laetitia's side - if they should stop and convince every camera not to 'see' them, they would have taken too long to reach the control room, and they would undoubtedly have been caught. No, this had been more efficient - hurry past the cameras and hope they would only be noticed when they were right outside the room.

Daryn walked up to the door, caressing the solid metal as he silently began to speak to the consciousness that rested within the very building itself. Carefully and with infinite respect he spoke to the system, each passing second making both Laetitia and Zahra more and more edgy. 

"Hurry up," Zahra said impatiently, while Laetitia continuously scanning the hallway. It was only a matter of time before more guards showed up, they all knew that.

"I'm trying," Daryn replied, eyes closed in concentration. "But this isn't easy - it doesn't trust us," he continued, referring to the system. "I need to convince it that we won't hurt it."

Another moment of tense silence, then the door finally opened, letting the three mutants into the room. 

Even though the humans inside had seen Laetitia and her two companions arrive, and had seen the guards outside be killed, they were still taken aback by how fast the mutants had gained access to the room. It was just what Laetitia needed - armed, and feeling more powerful that she had in a long time, it didn't take her long to dispatch the humans in the room. She took a step closer to one of the control panels, smiling coldly as she felt part of her anger turn into satisfaction at the sight of the dead humans. 

They had thought they would be able to keep her, of all people, under control. They had thought they could control her...in Laetitia's eyes, that was all the reason needed to kill them. She would not be controlled by anyone but herself, least of all a bunch of pathetic, powerless humans like these.

Out of the corner of her eye Laetitia saw Zahra pale slightly, and Daryn take a step back, both shocked by the ruthless killings they had just witnessed.

"Daryn," Laetitia snapped. "Find the main control system. Convince it to open all the cells, and set the security systems out of business." Daryn hesitated, and Laetitia's eyes narrowed. "Now!"

Daryn paled and did as he was told, terrified of what this woman would do to him if he refused. Judging from the past few minutes, she was obviously not mentally stable, and she was not a person Daryn wanted to piss off.

Laetitia waited a few seconds to make sure that Daryn really was following orders, then headed for a computer herself. 

"What are you doing?" Zahra asked, suspicion clear in her voice.

"Checking something," Laetitia replied, letting a hint of annoyance shine through her words. "Now stop bothering me, little girl, and go watch the hallway."

She could see Zahra's dark eyes narrow slightly at the arrogant words, but the girl wisely remained silent and walked back to the door instead, her every move reveling the anger she felt. Laetitia watched the girl for a moment, then returned to the computer. She knew that there was more diplomatic ways she could have handled the girl, but she didn't have the time to argue with any obnoxious teenagers. They were pressed for time as it was, and getting into a discussion would only make them lose valuable minutes.

File after file showed up on the screen as Laetitia started her search, then stopped abruptly as she found what she had been looking for - the list of inmates at the facility. Zahra had mentioned that this was the low security wing, indicating that there was a high security wing, too, somewhere. And since Laetitia had been with Blade and Jordane when they had been captured...

The systems responded immediately to Laetitia's inquiry, bringing up the information she wanted.

"High security wing, cell 16-C," she mumbled, quickly scanning the files. "Cellmates...are Sanderson and Twilight?" Laetitia looked at the computer screen with surprise. "So the Guardians got captured, too. Interesting..."

"I got it!" Daryn yelled, interrupting Laetitia's train of thought. "The security systems are down, and the cells in this cellblock are all opened."

"Good," Laetitia replied. "Now do the same thing to the high security section."

Daryn looked up worried. "I don't think that's a good idea - those people are alpha-levels or dangerous criminals. Letting them out is-"

"-Going to give us the distraction we need," Laetitia finished curtly. "Do it."

Again Daryn looked like he wanted to object, and again he decided that Laetitia was a worse threat than the prisoners in the high security wing. He returned to the computer and spoke silently to the entity in the machine again. This time it went a lot faster as the system recognized him, and it was only a matter of seconds before Daryn looked up again. 

"It's done," he said with a small sigh. "What do we do now?"

Laetitia smirked, then reached down and tossed away her old guns, instead taking a couple of new ones from one of the dead guards. She quickly replaced the half-empty cartridges, too, then walked confidently towards the door where Zahra was, motioning for Daryn to follow her.

"Now, we leave."

***


	72. Exodus

The reason why this chapter is out so early, despite of my current workload? Well, my long-time muse, Fortune, joined forces with Vamp, my new dark-fic muse, to make sure that I didn't start to slack when it comes to 'Journey'. And who can say 'no' to two muses...? O.o...

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Fifty-Seven: Exodus 

***

A faint click rang through the tense silence in the cell, and four pair of eyes instantly found the door. Kyle clenched his fists, ignoring Blade and Jordane's presence as he prepared himself for whatever waited outside the metal door. Another moment of tense silence passed, and then with a soft, electronic hum, the door opened, revealing...

...An empty hallway?

Confusion turning to suspicion, Kyle stepped closer to the door, vaguely aware that Blade did the same. For a long moment time seemed to have stopped, then someone in a prison suit ran past them in the hallway, followed by another. A strangely hollow sound of shouting and then gunshots followed from somewhere far away, and Kyle started to get a nagging suspicion. If Blade had been right about a staged prison riot...

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They're going to kill us.

"Jordane."

Kyle turned his head and saw Blade motion for the girl to follow him as he headed out in the hallway, into the crowd of prisoners that hurried past them outside. 

"What are you doing?" Kyle asked. "If you were right about a riot-"

"-Then we're dead, anyway," Blade replied, his eyes continuously scanning the hallway for any possible threats among the many mutants. "Let's go."

Kyle paused for a moment, considering his options. Suddenly having the doors open was suspicious to say the least, and Kyle did not believe in miracles. Much as he hated to admit it, it was starting to look like Blade had a point. And if that was the case...following him might not be a bad idea.

"All right," Kyle replied and suppressed the unpleasant thought that he had betrayed his team by following Blade's orders. "Suzuka...come on," he said, and too late did he realize what Suzuka's reaction would be.

"You can't be serious!" Suzuka replied angrily and pointed at Blade. "He's a psycho! He killed Prue, and he'll do the same thing to us the moment we turn our backs on him! How can you even consider following him?!" 

Annoyance flashed in Blade's eyes, and Kyle decided to step in before things escalated. 

"Do you have a better idea?" he asked quietly, keeping his voice low enough so that Blade and Jordane wouldn't hear what he said to Suzuka. "I don't trust him, either, Suzuka, and I don't like this any more than you do, but this is the best chance we have at getting out." 

"He'll betray us the moment he sees a chance to," Suzuka argued, her quiet voice doing nothing to hide the anger she felt. "You can't trust him!"

"And I don't," Kyle replied. "But if we try to find a way out of this place on our own, we're likely to get killed. The four of us are in the same situation here - Blade and Melee have just as much to lose as we have."

"He's going to get us all killed," Suzuka said and glared angrily at the man in question.

"Suzuka, I'm not asking you to trust him," Kyle tried again. "I'm asking you to trust *me*. I'm not stupid; I know what he's done, okay? But in this case, I know what I'm doing."

"He'll kill us the moment we turn our backs on him, we both know that," Suzuka repeated.

"I won't let him," Kyle replied with finality, conveniently ignoring the fact that in a one-on-one fight, there would be little he could do to stop Blade. "I know what I'm doing, Suzuka. Trust me - please."

"Sanderson!" Blade snapped. "We don't have time for this. Either she comes with us now, or we leave her here." 

"I know!" Kyle shot back, then turned to Suzuka again. "Suzuka, please...trust me."

Suzuka glared at Blade again and clenched her fists, then looked away. "All right," she replied, then raised her voice to make sure that Blade heard what she was saying. "But if they try *anything*, I'll kill them, consequences be damned!"

Blade's once reaction to the threat was a look of complete indifference. "Are you done with your temper tantrums, girl?" he asked, not bothering to wait for a reply. "Then let's get out of this place."

He quite deliberately turned his back on Suzuka and headed out into the hallway with Jordane, his arrogant behavior only serving to infuriate Suzuka further. She took a step towards him, itching for a fight, but Kyle stopped her before she could attack.

"No! Survival has first priority - revenge will have to wait, understand?"

Suzuka glared at him, then sent Blade a disgusted look before she walked out of the room, not pausing to check that Kyle was following her.

Kyle sighed, then headed out of the cell as well. He had just put his own life as well as Suzuka's in the hands of a notorious killer, they were heading into something that could very well be a government-arranged genocide, and Suzuka was treating him like a traitor. 

"Great," he muttered. "Just great."

***

In another part of the high security wing, the situation was the same - everywhere, doors and locks clicked open, leaving the prisoners confused, suspicious...and free. Some hesitated, unsure of what was going on, but most didn't really care about *how* the doors had opened, only that they had a chance of escaping. 

And that very thing was the case in the small cell that housed two familiar mutants.

"Let's go!" Zach snapped and dragged Deirdre to her feet. He didn't know why the door had suddenly opened, or what exactly was going on, but quite frankly he didn't care. He wanted to get out of this hellhole and away from the humans, and how he managed to do that didn't really matter, as long as he succeeded. 

Deirdre looked at him in surprise but didn't fight against him. They had a chance to escape, and she had enough common sense to realize that if she started to argue with Blitz, that chance of escape could very well disappear. 

The two headed into the hallway, unconsciously making sure not to get separated in the chaotic scene that greeted them - they weren't the only ones who were determined to get away, and the hallway was filled with mutants trying to find a safe way out. Shouting, yelling, and the sound of footsteps filled the air, only adding to the chaos. Zach and Deirdre exchanged a look, then hurried down the hallway. 

***

The situation was the same not very far behind them. 

Shouting, talking, the sound of running, a tense atmosphere that only waited for that small spark that would ignite the blaze...Ryan didn't like it one bit. This was too chaotic, too unpredictable, and he desperately tried to make sure their small group stayed together. His protectiveness towards Ben was understandable - after all, they had been friends for a long time, and Ryan didn't want anything to happen to the young healer. The fact that he tried to keep an eye on Jhonen and Aaron as well was a bit harder to explain. He wasn't even sure why he did it - they weren't even on the same team as him. Jhonen had betrayed all of them, and Aaron had made it clear beyond any doubt that his loyalty belonged to Blade.

He had no reason to help them, and still...

...They were just kids. Jhonen was seventeen, and Aaron was several years younger. Alone, they wouldn't stand a chance. And enemies or not, Ryan was not about to leave two young teenagers to fend for themselves in a situation like this. He had a conscience, and he had to look himself in the eyes every morning when he looked into the mirror. And he by far preferred to look at someone who didn't disgust him.

Yes, Ryan would help Jhonen and Aaron, team loyalties and past crimes aside, if nothing else then because he didn't want another death on his conscience...not even when it came to people like the Shadow Alliance. 

More running, more shouting, and Ben's voice somehow managed to reach Ryan through the chaos surrounding them.

"Ryan - look!" he said, pointing into the chaos ahead.

Ryan's eyes searched the people ahead of them, and suddenly he saw what Ben had seen - a very familiar person making her way through the chaos. 

***

"Deirdre!"

Deirdre spun around, frantically searching for the source of that familiar voice. She forced her way past the other mutants around them, only vaguely aware that Zach was following her, then finally found the person she'd been searching for - Ryan, followed closely by Ben. 

"Ryan!" Deirdre exclaimed, then threw herself in Ryan's arms and hugged him tightly. "Thank God you're here."

Ryan looked at the girl, surprised at the emotional reaction, then hugged her back, an affectionate smile lingering on his lips as he saw that she was okay. He was worried about all of his teammates, and seeing Deirdre alive and well helped lift the heavy burden of concern a bit. Ryan looked around, his eye falling on Deirdre's companion who was now talking with Jhonen and Viper...and only then did Ryan discover whom the boy was.

Blitz.

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No...

"Deirdre...are you okay?" Ryan asked, his voice serious as he looked at the girl in his arms. "He didn't...?"

Deirdre sighed, unwilling to let go of Ryan just yet. "Yeah...I'm okay, I guess. He didn't hurt me or anything."

Ryan turned his attention to Zach again, and the boy met his gaze without blinking. Ryan hadn't believed that Deirdre could have shared a cell with Zach without getting hurt, but maybe he'd misjudged Zach. After all, Deirdre *did* seem to be okay...maybe there was more to young Blitz than met the eye.

"We should get going," Ben remarked, motioning down the hallway that was all but empty now. Their fellow prisoners were already gone, looking for a way out, and faraway shouting reached their ears. 

Ryan nodded. 

"Let's go," he said and continued down the hallway, holding Deirdre's hand in his own, hoping to reassure her a bit. 

Zach, Aaron, and Jhonen exchanged a look, then followed Ryan, silently agreeing that it would be easier to escape if they worked together...even if it *did* mean following someone who protected the humans, rather than fighting against them.

"Benji? Are you coming?" Ryan asked, and looked over his shoulder at Ben.

"Yeah..." Ben replied slowly, following the others.

No one noticed the frown as he saw Ryan hold Deirdre's hand. 

***


	73. For the Sake of Survival

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: Ageless: A chart? *grins* What on earth would I need a chart for? I have the entire fic mapped out in my head, plot twists and all. Much easier that way ^^

MissNovelist: Yup - whenever possible, I try to incorporate the various ficlets into the main story. And in this case it was just too tempting...;)

Rascal: Not evil, just...misunderstood ^^

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Fifty-Eight: For the Sake of Survival

***

As Laetitia, Daryn, and Zahra made their way out of the control room, the first few mutants had already left the cells, hurrying past them in the hallways. Faint yelling and gunfire far away hinted that the humans had discovered what had happened, but by the time they had finally gathered enough support to actually do something, the place would already be too chaotic to get under control.

Or at least that was what Laetitia hoped.

She knew that this situation would end violent and bloodily once the humans and mutants clashed, but if things went as she hoped, they would be far away from any fighting. The humans would focus on those that were within reach, those who were stupid enough to run without thinking about where they were going. It would result in a fairly large loss of lives, she suspected, but the thought didn't bother her. War required sacrifices, and this was most definitely war.

"This way," she ordered, motioning down one of the hallways that led to the high security wing.

"Wait...aren't we going away from the exit?" Daryn asked confused. "There's nothing that way but more cells."

"Cells, and several large hangars," Laetitia replied calmly. "I know what I'm doing, Daryn." 

More mutants started to fill the hallways, but the Greek mercenary merely sent them a brief, disinterested look as she quickly scanned the crowd for any potential threats. More people hurried past them, some running, some walking, all of them heading in the opposite direction that Laetitia did.

She watched them for a moment, disgust clear in her eyes. They were mutants like her, yes, but none of them showed any individualism, any sign of independent thoughts. They all just followed the flow like lemmings, thoughtless and weak.

Their deaths would be no big loss.

"Lae!"

Laetitia looked ahead and saw Pheonix hurry towards them, followed by Hal, Diana, and West. Pheonix finally made her way through the crowd and hugged Laetitia tightly, hardly believing that she was actually there. 

"Nike...?" 

Laetitia looked up from the girl in her arms and saw Hal send her a questioning look.

"It was a trap," Laetitia explained coldly and let go of Pheonix. "Sergey sold out on us."

"Are Blade and Jordane here, too?" Hal asked worried. The three leaders of the team had left together...but only Nike was here now. It didn't look good. It didn't look good at all.

"Yes, in the high security section with Sanderson and Twilight," Laetitia replied, quite deliberately ignoring Diana's presence. "Get Pheonix out of here, and let me worry about Blade and Melee," she ordered curtly. "And take these two with you," she added, motioning towards Zahra and Daryn. "The boy has a rather useful power."

Hal nodded, and Laetitia started to make her way down the crowded hallway, but Diana's voice stopped her.

"Wait!" 

Laetitia looked at Diana and arched an eyebrow, daring her to delay her any further.

"I'm coming with you," Diana said, continuing before Laetitia could argue. "You said that Kyle and Suzuka were there, too."

"Think again, little girl," Laetitia snapped. "You would only slow me down, and quite frankly I don't have the time for that. Now get out of here!"

"Not without Kyle and Suzuka," Diana snapped back.

"No," Laetitia replied coldly. "I work alone, and you would be nothing but a liability to me. Either you leave with the others, or I knock you out. The choice is yours."

Diana glared angrily at Laetitia, but didn't argue any further.

"Wise decision," Laetitia smirked, not above rubbing in the fact that she was by far the superior of the two. With an air of supreme confidence Laetitia turned around and walked down the hallway with fast, steady strides.

"Lae...be careful," Pheonix called in a worried voice, and Laetitia paused just long enough to send the girl a reassuring look.

"I always am," she replied, and disappeared among the crowd for good, blending into the surroundings like she'd done so often before.

Hal watched for a moment, then looked at the others. Just standing there would accomplish nothing, she knew that. Someone had to take charge, and she had a responsibility to live up to, even during circumstances as unusual as these.

"Let's go," she ordered.

Nobody argued.

***

The hallways were quickly becoming more crowded, more chaotic, and the sound of gunfire from somewhere outside could now be heard even above the noise from the many people that surrounded Ryan and the others. So far they'd followed the crowd, by Ryan had continuously been looking for an alternative exit for them. Logic told him that the soldiers would be waiting where the majority of the mutants tried to escape, and that would be too great of a risk to run. They needed another way out, something small and relatively unseen, but so far he'd found nothing. 

It bothered him...as things were going, they were heading straight into a potentially fatal situation, and they didn't have powers or weapons to help them. That left them to rely on luck alone, and Ryan had long ago learned that Lady Luck rarely cooperated when you needed her most.

They continued further down the hallways, the unease Ryan felt growing increasingly stronger. He was worried, and not just about where they were going. More than anything, he worried about Diana and Kyle and the others. He didn't know how or where they were, or even if they were still alive. He hadn't seen them since the fight at that checkpoint, and he found himself desperately wishing that he had some way of getting in touch with them.

"I don't like this," Ryan said quietly to Ben. "I can't help but feel that we're walking into a trap."

"I know," Ben replied in an equally quiet voice. "But what's the alternative?"

"There isn't one," Ryan admitted with a sigh. "I guess we'll just have to follow the flow and hope that-"

"Ryan!"

Ryan turned around as a familiar voice interrupted him, recognizable even through the chaos that surrounded him. He let his eyes scan the hallway, quickly searching through the other mutants, looking for that one, particular person whose voice he'd heard. 

"Ryan!" 

Another shout, followed by a flash of wavy, auburn hair, and then Ryan saw Diana make her way through the crowd, letting herself fall into his arms with a relieved sigh.

"Ryan..." she whispered, holding onto him like life itself depended on it. "Thank God you're okay. I was so worried about you."

Ignoring the many people around them, Ryan held Diana tightly, almost afraid that she would disappear if he let go. "It's okay, Diana. Everything's okay now, I promise," he said gently, trying to comfort her. "It's okay."

Slowly, almost reluctantly, he let go of Diana and took a step back, his mind returning to the real world. Deirdre lit up at the sight of Diana and West, but didn't say anything, and Ben merely sent their two teammates a pale smile, lacking a bit of its usual warmth. Ryan frowned as he noticed it, but forced his worry aside - he could ask Ben about it later. Right now, they had other things to worry about. 

Ryan let his eyes survey the people that surrounded him, letting his gaze rest for a moment on Pheonix and Hal who had arrived with Diana and West. The two girls were talking with their teammates, all of whom seemed worried about something. Probably the situation they were in, Ryan decided, then let his eyes continue their survey of the group. Not counting the two new kids, this was pretty much both of the teams...with the exception of Kyle and Suzuka. 

"Diana...have you seen Kyle and Suzuka?" Ryan asked, turning his attention to Diana again.

Diana closed her eyes briefly, then sighed. "They're with Blade and Melee," she said quietly. "We ran into Nike - I think she had something to do with this, because she knew exactly where they were."

"They're with *who*?!" Ryan repeated, half in disbelief, half in fear. Kyle and Suzuka, trapped in a cell with Blade and Melee...

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God, no.

"She's right," Hal said, walking up to Ryan. "Laetitia said that she would try to find them, then she left."

"We have to do something, Ryan - she'll kill them," Diana urged. 

"No, she won't," Hal replied sharply.

"She killed Prue, didn't she?" Diana snapped. 

"That was revenge. This case is different - Laetitia likes a challenge, and Suzuka is one of the few people who are able to provide that," Hal replied and shook her head. "Cretes, we don't have time for this. We don't know where they are, or if any of them are even alive. And the longer we stand here arguing, the less likely we are to get out of here."

Ryan looked at Hal, really seeing her for the first time. She wasn't just some random member of the Shadow Alliance anymore - she had taken the place as temporary leader of her team, and much as Ryan hated to admit it, she had a point.

"Ryan..." Diana tried again, but the man merely shook his head.

"No. She's right - we have a team that depends on us, Diana, whether we like it or not. We're leaving," Ryan replied, the words soft, but clearly not open for debate.

"So we're just going to leave Kyle and Suzuka here?" Diana said disgusted. 

"We don't have a choice, Diana - if we want to escape, we have to leave now," Ryan replied, his voice harsher than he'd intended. He sighed, then continued in a softer voice. "I don't like this any more than you do, but we don't have a choice. Besides, if anyone can get out of this place alive, it's Kyle and Suzuka. They're too stubborn to give up, you know. I wouldn't be the least surprised if they're waiting for us outside once we get out," he finished gently.

Diana smiled thankfully at Ryan; a pale, thin smile, but a smile nonetheless, and Ryan stroked her cheek gently.

"Cretes?"

Ryan and Diana looked at Hal, who merely sent them an apologetic look, almost sorry for breaking up the intimate scene. Ryan sighed, then nodded.

"I know."

__

I'm sorry, Kyle, he whispered silently, then took a step forward, catching the attention of everyone. "Let's go."

Behind him, Diana looked down, feeling like she'd just betrayed one of her best friends. A hand on her arm made her look up, and she found herself staring into Hal's red eyes. 

"They'll find a way out," the albino said with quiet conviction. "All of them."

Diana sighed softly and looked away again. "I hope you're right," she replied and followed the others down the hallway. Hal looked at her for a moment, then sent a brief look towards the high security section before she followed Diana's lead.

__

So do I, Pandora...so do I.

***


	74. Checkmate

I would like to remind people that I know what I'm doing, and that everything *will* be explained eventually, no matter how weird things get. Trust me! *smirk*

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: DaHippo: *grins* Don't worry, everything will work out in the end. I have plans for Zach and Deirdre, whether Ben likes it or not.

T'Girl: Actually, if you count the number of words, rather than just look at the length of the chapters, you'll find that those three short chapters were considerably more than I usually post in one week. 'Sides, I write only as much as I need in order to get the point across - no need to fill up the chapters with needless babble just to make them seem longer. And yes, I do have plans for young Zachary...*evil smirk* (But you're more than welcome to pair them up in an AU fic *hint* ;)

Archangel: Well, I'd promised myself that there would be no excessive violence, but my new dark-fic muse convinced me to re-think that *eyes Vamp nervously*

Maxwell Dark: You can't really blame Ryan, can you? All he knows about Zach is that a) he works for Blade, and b) he looks homicidal. No wonder he's worried about Deirdre ^^

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Checkmate

***

Suzuka followed Kyle, Blade, and Jordane silently, occasionally glaring angrily at Blade. She didn't like the situation one bit, and Kyle's behavior didn't make things any better. Suzuka turned her head slightly and sent her teammate a cold glare before looking away again. How could Kyle even have agreed to this? He knew what Blade could do - and what he already had done. How could he follow someone like that?!

Kyle noticed the glare Suzuka directed at him, and sent the girl a worried look, but Suzuka merely looked away.

__

I'm not a traitor, Suzuka. Don't treat me as one, Kyle whispered silently, but it was too late to do anything. The damage had already been done, and Kyle knew that it could take a long time before Suzuka would be willing to forgive him for this. 

But it wasn't like they'd had a choice, was it? This was a matter of survival, not team loyalties. Dying here would accomplish nothing. He'd made his decision for his own sake as well as Suzuka's, and that had to count for something, didn't it?

Caught up in his thoughts as he was, Kyle didn't notice Nike's presence until she all but materialized in the hallway in front of them, and too late did his mind react to the startling turn of events.

"You!" Suzuka spat out, and had already taken a step towards Nike by the time Kyle's mind had finally caught up with things. 

Kyle reached out and tried to stop her, but she tore herself loose of his grasp and attacked Nike with a ferocity that surprised even Kyle.

Nike, though, merely deflected the attack before taking a step back to watch her opponent. 

"Hello, Twilight." The words were accompanied by a faint, confident smile, and Suzuka's eyes narrowed angrily. 

"Nike," she replied, fury seething just beneath the surface. 

Kyle tore his attention away from the fight for a moment and took a look at the surroundings instead. Even through the chaos, the other mutants in the hallway seemed to understand that this was something they shouldn't get involved in, and stayed clear of the small group. Kyle turned his attention to Blade and Melee and found that like he himself, they had chosen to watch from the sidelines, accepting that this was between Nike and Suzuka alone.

Suzuka charged again, and once again Nike deflected the attack, this time with almost mocking ease. It became obvious to Kyle that Nike was playing with her, trying to get her to make a mistake, but Suzuka was too furious to think rationally. 

The two fighters slowly circled each other as Suzuka prepared to attack a third time, but this time Kyle was determined not to let things go any further. Before Suzuka could react, Kyle had stepped between the two, efficiently ruining Suzuka's attack.

"Kyle, damnit! Get out of my way!" Suzuka growled and tried to get around Kyle, but to no avail as the other refused to let her get any closer to Nike.

Kyle was well aware that turning his back to Nike like this could easily turn out to be a bad idea, but his instincts told him that Nike had enough common sense to realize that getting into a fight now wouldn't help them. 

"We don't have time for this, Suzuka," Kyle explained quietly. "You can get even later, but right now we have to get out of here."

Suzuka glared at him and tried to get around him again, but Kyle stopped her. "Suzuka, listen to me - we don't have the time for this! If you get into a fight with Nike, you could get us all killed, understand?" The words were said in a harsher tone than he'd intended, but it had the desired effect as Suzuka glared at him, but stopped her attempt to get to Nike.

The girl turned around and took a few steps away, but before Kyle could relax, he felt Nike move behind him, followed by a small chill at her sudden closeness.

"I could have killed you," she noted, and as Kyle turned around, he found her watching him almost curiously.

"I know," he replied.

Nike nodded slowly, and for a moment, a faint hint of respect could be seen in her eyes. Then the moment passed, and Nike walked away from Kyle, towards her two teammates.

"I assume you're the one behind this chaos?" Blade noted, seemingly not the least bit surprised by Laetitia's appearance. The girl nodded, and Blade smirked. "Good job."

Laetitia merely smiled confidently. "I know."

She tossed the key to the collars to Blade, along with one of the two guns. The older mutant quickly disposed of his own collar, then started to work on Jordane's.

"The others are here, too," Laetitia said. "I met Hal and Pheonix on the way. They seemed to be unharmed."

A faint click, and the lock on Jordane's collar opened as well.

"Good," Blade replied, and Laetitia wasn't sure if he was referring to her encounter or the collar. "They should be able to get out of here on their own." He watched the key to the collars for a moment, then sighed almost inaudibly and tossed it to Kyle, who caught it with a surprised look. "Hurry up. We don't have all day," Blade snapped.

The man didn't offer any explanation to his unexpected decision, and Kyle didn't ask, but opened his own and Suzuka's collars with a few, swift movements instead. He felt surge through his body as his powers finally returned, and he massaged his neck where the collar had rested, just to make sure that it really was gone. 

"I checked the map over this place - there's a back entrance," Laetitia explained to her two teammates. "If we leave that way, we will be a lot less likely to run into any trouble."

"Then let's go," Blade ordered, but was stopped as Laetitia put a hand on his arm.

"What about them?" she said in a low voice, motioning towards Kyle and Suzuka. She had been surprised to see Blade actually help Sanderson, but had figured that there had been some reasonably good explanation. This, though...

Blade arched an eyebrow. "They're coming with us, Nike. You can get even with them later, but right now the most important thing is getting out of here."

"They'll slow us down," Laetitia replied, not caring if the two people in question would hear her.

"Slow you down?!" Suzuka repeated angrily. "We're not-"

"They could prove useful," Blade replied, cutting through Suzuka's angry protests. "This is *my* decision, Nike. I don't care if you like it - you're paid to follow orders, and that is what I expect you to do."

A hint of anger appeared in Laetitia's eyes at his careless dismissal of her argument, but she suppressed her reaction, and merely nodded in reply. "All right."

"Good." Blade turned to look at Kyle and Suzuka, and raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Any objections?"

Kyle took a tight grip on Suzuka's arm before she could say anything, and the girl glared at him, but thankfully remained silent. "No," Kyle replied. "No objections from us."

Blade's words had sounded almost civilized, but Kyle seriously doubted that the other would have cared much for their opinion on things. It wasn't like they had a choice, anyway - right now Nike seemed to be the one with the most knowledge of the place, and her loyalty belonged to Blade. And if Kyle and Suzuka wanted to survive, it might be a good idea to follow the trio for the time being. 

Blade didn't reply with words but merely nodded, and the strange, little group began their trip through the maze of hallways and cells.

***

It quickly turned out that following Laetitia's suggestion had been a good idea. The hallways in that particular part of the prison were all but deserted, the only exception being a few, lonely guards who had stayed behind. All the time it was clear what they had avoided, though - a constant, low sound of yelling, screaming, and fighting, sometimes accompanied by a loud rumble or roar as weapons and mutant powers clashed. The sound had been dulled by the thick walls, but its presence was impossible to ignore, and none of the four mutants could honestly say that they were unaffected by the constant reminder of their situation.

They followed Laetitia in silence, none of them willing to start talking. The sound of fighting, combined with the already tense atmosphere between the five, made it feel almost wrong to say something - not to mention the fact that talking might distract them and make it easier for any enemies to sneak up on them. It was a risk they couldn't take, and so the tense silence continued.

Laetitia motioned down a slighter wider hallway, and as the group turned around a corner, they finally saw the welcome sight of a large door that led outside. They hurried up a bit, a sense of urgency in their movements. They all knew that the longer they stayed in this place, the greater the risk of discovery, and none of them wanted to fail now that they had gotten this far. 

The door opened, and the group found themselves engulfed by the searing afternoon heat. Out in the horizon, the sun was slowly setting, and in a couple of hours the temperature would thankfully be bearable once again.

According to the map Laetitia had studied, the open place they now found themselves in was located in a corner of the complex, next to two of the many hangers in the area. By now they were relatively far away from the main entrance and the other prisoners, and hopefully most of the soldiers would have left the less exposed parts of the complex.

Blade let his eyes survey the area and the two hangars in front of them. One was significantly smaller than the other, and partially build into the larger one. It didn't seem to be used nearly as often as its larger neighbor, and that alone was enough to suggest that they wouldn't find anything useful in there. No...they would check out the larger hangar first, Blade decided. They would have to move fast, and checking out both buildings would slow them down. Sure, there didn't seem to be anything suspicious in the area, but Blade couldn't help the nagging feeling that something was wrong.

"Let's check the larger one first," Blade decided, and nodded towards the large building in front of them. "We need to find something to escape in."

"What about the second hanger?" Laetitia asked. 

"There's a bigger chance of finding a vehicle in the other one," Blade explained. "Getting separated now is a bad idea, Nike. It would only slow us down, and we need to move fast."

"I know what I'm doing, Blade," Laetitia replied. "And I can handle myself, you know that."

Blade watched her for a moment, then nodded slowly. Unlikely as it was, there was always the risk that the larger hanger would turn out to be empty, and in that case Nike's idea would prove useful. "All right. You have five minutes. If you're not back by then, we're leaving without you."

Nike nodded slightly. She was well aware of the risk her suggestion would put her in, but she was also confident in her ability to handle herself. Five minutes...for someone as fit as her, it would be more than enough to search the place, and get back to the others.

Laetitia nodded briefly to her two teammates, then readied her gun and hurried towards the entrance to the second hanger. Blade's eyes lingered on her for a moment, a slight frown appearing on his face. The nagging feeling that something was wrong was still there, and quite frankly it was starting to make him a bit edgy.

"Blade?" Blade turned around, and Jordane sent him a questioningly look, the action reminding him that he had someone other than Nike to worry about.

"I know. Let's move," he said and headed for one of the doors on each side of the wide gates.

Laetitia could take care of herself, she'd proven that more than once. She was a professional and had the necessary skills and ruthlessness needed to survive in a situation like this. There was no need to worry about her.

But in the innermost corners of his mind, the doubt kept nagging.

***

Much to Laetitia's surprise, the door to the hangar opened without a sound, and she carefully stepped into the silent building. The sun had heated up the place, and without air conditioning, the atmosphere inside was almost unbearably hot. 

To Laetitia, it was only a minor annoyance, though, and she easily forced the discomfort aside as she let her eyes survey the wide area. The place seemed to be almost empty - there were only some wooden crates near the wall, and a few, large shapes at the end of the hangar, all covered by a dusty, white fabric. The shapes were more than large enough to be vehicles of some kind, and Laetitia hurried down there, constantly keeping an eye on the surroundings as well as the time.

She reached the first of the large shape and pulled the heavy fabric down, only to curse as she saw what they hid. Four large metal tanks stacked closely, and a quick look on one of them revealed their content to be gasoline. Angrily, she pulled the fabric away from the other two shapes as well, and was greeted by the same sight - tank after tank of gasoline and propane, all neatly stacked and labeled.

__

A fuel-storage? Laetitia thought disgusted. _That's all?_

She turned around with an angry motion, and stalked away from the large tanks. She'd almost reached the door at the end of the hangar when she heard movement outside, and she barely had time to hide before the gates to the hangar opened. 

Laetitia cast a look around the crate she hid behind, and cursed silently as she got a good look at the group of people outside.

__

Soldiers? Damnit!

***

"Over here!" Jordane called quietly from the truck she had been checking. "It doesn't have doors, but everything else seems to be in order on this one," she said as the others reached her. They'd spread out after they had checked the first of the many trucks in the hangar and found that it had lacked both steering wheel and gears. 

Apparently, this was where the older, broken vehicles had been placed, and that had complicated things more than a bit.

"Good," Blade replied, and got into the driver's seat, before tearing out the lower part of the dashboard unceremoniously. "Sanderson, grab the gas and fill up the tank," he ordered and motioned towards the small stack of gas containers by the wall.

Kyle nodded and did as he was told, and Blade quickly found the two wires he would need to hotwire the truck. He reached up to adjust the rearview mirror, and there, in the dusty glass, was the faintest shadow of a movement. 

Blade reacted instantly and got out of the truck while he readied his gun, but it was too late. The first gunshot tore though the air, the sound strangely dull. Kyle let go of the gas containers and immediately froze the air around him...and found himself face to face with a small, thick needle. 

__

Sedatives? Shit!

Kyle hurried to Suzuka, who had already taken cover behind a wooden crate, and quickly analyzed the situation. It didn't look good - the soldiers were blocking the main exit, as well as the smaller exit on the other side of the building, and despite of the trucks, the four mutants were still very exposed. 

Kyle saw two of the soldiers try to sneak around one of the trucks, and then collapse on the ground as Blade raised his gun and fired twice in rapid succession. Kyle wasn't sure how many bullets were left in the gun, but it couldn't be many.

__

Damn...

"Kyle!" Suzuka's warning made Kyle turn around, and too late did he see the soldiers who had somehow managed to sneak up on them. He felt a needle pierce his skin, and saw Suzuka attack one of the soldier, but the sedative had already started to take effect, and she missed her target. Kyle tried to fight the drug, but his mind was too groggy to make a real effort. Somewhere behind him he heard two more gunshots, followed by a third, and then the click of an empty cartridge. The darkness started to claw at the edges of his mind, and he tried to force away the dizziness, to clear his head a bit. And for a moment he managed to keep it at bay, to push it back- 

- And then there was nothing. 

***

The first bullet pierced the air and dug itself deep into the wooden crate that Laetitia hid behind. She reacted instantly, rolling away from the crate and into the cover of the next just as a several other bullets tore through the wood of her former hiding place. 

__

How did they...? Laetitia frowned, but interrupted herself. Answers would have to wait - right now she had to get out of there.

She ignored the gunshots, and got to safety behind a third crate at the nick of time. A quick survey of the area revealed that while her original exit was blocked, there was still a smaller emergency exit across the room. Laetitia fired once at the soldiers, using the bullet to distract them for long enough to find cover behind a crate that was a bit closer to the exit. She raised her gun again and prepared to fire, when- 

- The door to the exit was kicked in, revealing half a dozen soldiers.

__

Shit!

Laetitia moved instinctively and sought cover behind two crates that offered her at least a minimum of protection from the two groups of humans.

The soldiers fired again, forcing Laetitia to retreat, and too late did she realize what they were doing.

They were trying to back her into a corner...and judging from the current situation, they were succeeding. 

A bullet tore through the air and dug deep into the wall beside Laetitia. They were shooting to kill, that much was certain, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that with one half-empty cartridge, and at least two dozen soldiers to use it on, she was in trouble. 

Laetitia had always prided herself with her strategic skills, but this was one situation even she couldn't see a way out. 

And she hated herself for it.

She had been cornered by a group of incompetent humans, by a group of mere pawns, and she hadn't even seen it coming. Her eyes grew cold as she surveyed the area until her gaze finally came to rest on the fuel tanks at the end of the room. She would not let herself be defeated by a group of unskilled humans. They were nothing but unwitting pawns in a far larger game - like pawns they lived, and like pawns they would die. 

More gunshots, then shouting and the sound of footsteps as the soldiers closed in on her. Violet eyes narrowed, radiating nothing but cold determination as Laetitia tightened her grip on the gun, waiting until the very last second, making sure that all of the soldiers were as close as they could be. They might win, but their victory would be hollow, tainted by the blood of their comrades in arm. And in their grief, their loss, their pain, and their suffering, she would reach out and claim her revenge. They were mere pawns, and like pawn they would have to sacrifice everything topple a queen. 

Inhale. Exhale. Slow, calculated movements, graceful even now.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Aim...

__

Checkmate.

***


	75. Metamorphosis

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Sixty: Metamorphosis

***

The force of the explosion tore through the air, leveling buildings and snapping solid concrete pillars like they were nothing but matchsticks. For a seemingly endless second there was silence as the flames and the shock wave engulfed the area, then the flames retreated, quickly being drawn back into the center of the explosion by the sudden lack of air. High above the devastation, the flames and the smoke intermingled, creating a rapidly expanding mushroom cloud...and with it came the deafening roar of exploding fuel. 

"Shit!" Zach looked away, momentarily taken aback by the sharp light and the thundering sound that followed. "What the fuck was that!?"

Hal's eyes widened at the sight of the large fireball. Even at the opposite end of the complex where they now were, the heat from the explosion could still be felt clearly through the afternoon heat.

"I don't know, but whatever it was, it just destroyed at good part of the prison!" she replied, still watching the dark mushroom cloud. "Christ..."

Another, smaller explosion went off in the general direction of the fireball as the flames reached another fuel storage, making the ground rumble once again. 

"We have to get out of here," Ryan said, then turned to Deirdre. "How much longer?"

Deirdre looked up from underneath the dashboard of the second van she was trying to hotwire. While the first of the vans had responded almost immediately, Deirdre had discovered that the one she was now working on was nowhere near as agreeable. "I don't know - they completely messed up this one. There's no system in any of this!"

"Just hurry, okay?" Ryan said quietly, keeping an eye on the surroundings.

"I will," Deirdre promised, and started to sort through the mess of wires again. 

Ryan nodded absently, and looked back to the others just in time to see Aaron's collar fall to the ground, joining the small stack of metal collars that were already there. Well aware of the dangerous situation they were in, Daryn had worked as fast as he could to convince the collars to unlock, and as Ryan looked around, he saw that Aaron's collar had been the last one. 

"Done," Daryn breathed and ran a hand through his hair. Usually, using his powers wouldn't affect him at all, but in this case the urgency of the situation had managed to get to him and make him slightly out of breath. 

"Good," Ryan replied. "Are you okay?" he added, a bit concerned about the young addition to the group. 

Daryn sighed. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I just need to relax for a moment."

Ryan nodded, then turned his attention to the rest of the group. They had wisely decided to get away from the center of things, and behind one of the buildings, sheltered from enemy eyes, they'd found a couple of vehicles. The fact that the building was now hiding them from view did nothing to help on Ryan's nervousness, though, and looking at the others, it became clear that they felt the same way. 

Ryan's eyes slowly surveyed the group, eyes pausing for a moment to watch the second new addition to the group - the dark skinned girl called Zahra. From what Ryan could see, she acted much like a loner, and unlike Daryn, she seemed to prefer the company of the four members of the Shadow Alliance. And while that fact didn't exactly sit well with Ryan, there was also a part of him that was relieved that Zahra had a fairly harmless power - the kind of havoc that Blade could have caused with Daryn under his control was not a pleasant thought. 

Ryan forced the gloomy speculations aside, and let his eyes continue their slow survey of the group - Diana, West and Ben standing near one end of the building, keeping an eye out for any trouble. Pheonix and Viper, staying near the other end of the building, watching for any possible attack from that direction, and a part of Ryan couldn't help but think that they were too young for the life they'd chosen. The lack of any surrounding water had started to affect Pheonix, and she seemed slightly paler than usual, whereas Viper almost seemed to thrive on the desert climate, moving around with restless, snakelike motions. Ryan let his gaze wander further until it came to rest on Hal and Blitz, who were both standing a bit away from the building, out where they would be able to see what was going on closer to the prison. Not surprisingly, Blitz was ready to defend himself if needed be - electricity sizzled around his clenched fist, caressing his arm before it obediently retreated to his hand again. 

Again Ryan let his gaze wander, finally reaching the last member of the odd group of mutants. 

Jhonen.

Young, innocent Jhonen, who had helped take a life, and had no guilt to show for it. Young, innocent Jhonen who had trusted Ryan and the rest of the Guardians to help and protect him. He had trusted them, and they had failed miserably. And although he hated to admit it, deep down Ryan knew that there hadn't been anything they could have done to prevent it, and somehow that only made him feel worse. This was his team - he was supposed to lead them, to guide and protect them, and the fact that sometimes even he couldn't know everything that was going on, was far from easy to admit.

Ryan sighed and pushed the depressing thoughts aside as he continued to watch Jhonen.

The boy was standing in the shadow of the building, a bit away from the others, but he didn't seem to notice his solitude. In fact...he didn't seem to notice much of his surroundings at all. Ryan frowned and watched Jhonen carefully. Something was wrong, that much was certain. The boy leaned against the wall and seemed to have no strength left in his body. 

Concerned, Ryan walked towards Jhonen, and the motion caught the attention of Hal. The albino followed Ryan's gaze to Jhonen, and like Ryan, she quickly realized that something was wrong. She said something quietly to Zachary, then walked towards Jhonen with fast strikes. 

Hal reached Jhonen only seconds after Ryan did, and put her hand gently on her teammate's shoulder, hoping to snap him out of his daze. 

"Jhonen? What's wrong?" Hal asked worried, and the unconscious way she took charge reminded Ryan that like it or not, the young albino was currently the leader of the Shadow Alliance, and should be treated as such. 

Ryan knew beyond any doubt that Blade would not have put his team in the hands of someone he didn't trust, and that fact alone was enough to make Ryan watch Hal more closely than her teammates. But Hal would have to wait - right now Ryan's main concern was Jhonen, who had yet to give any indication that he'd heard them.

"Jhonen?" Ryan asked. 

Finally Jhonen looked up, brown eyes wide with a confused and almost faraway look, but he didn't reply.

"Jhonen! What's wrong?" Hal repeated.

The boy blinked once, then twice, and slowly he seemed to become aware of his surroundings again.

"Hal?" he asked, noticing her presence for the first time. "I'm...fine. Just...just dizzy, I think," he explained and shook his head. "My head feels strange."

Hal and Ryan exchanged a frown, team loyalties temporarily pushed aside by their worry for Jhonen. 

"Strange? What kind of strange?" Ryan asked. 

"I don't know..." Jhonen replied with a small sigh. "It just feels...off, like someone-" He suddenly stopped, eyes widening as he realized something that Ryan and Hal had yet to see. 

"Jhonen?" Ryan reached out to touch Jhonen's shoulder, but the boy shook his head. 

"No...I think I know what it was," Jhonen explained. "I think it was a spirit, but I need to concentrate to be sure." 

Not waiting for a reply, Jhonen closed his eyes and let himself be transported to the ever-changing landscape of the spirit world, leaving a worried Ryan and Hal to watch over him.

***

A warm breeze toying with his hair, bringing with it the smell of the ocean, of warm sand and endless lines of coconut palms. Cool, damp sand under his feet, and a faint taste of salt as he licked his dry lips. The gentle sound of waves rolling in on a shoreline, of birds singing somewhere nearby. 

Jhonen opened his eyes and found himself on a beautiful, Caribbean beach that seemed to continue forever in both directions. There was a faint rustle of leaves against leaves as the breeze played among the many palm trees by the beach, and there, in the shadow of a particular tall palm, was the shape of a human being. 

There was a nagging feeling in the back of Jhonen's mind, a feeling that he knew this person, but the thought kept eluding him. He hesitated for a moment, then started to walk across the beach, feeling the damp, cool sand turn almost scorching beneath his feet, heated by the stinging sun overhead. Jhonen reached the tall palm and felt the comfortable shadow engulf him, its coolness caressing his already warm skin. 

The figure was female, Jhonen could see that now. A flimsy bikini did nothing to hide her shapes, and an equally flimsy skirt hugged her hips loosely, caressing her tanned legs. Small grains of white sand entangled in wavy, black hair, and Jhonen reached down to brush the hair out of her face...and all too sudden, that nagging feeling of recognition turned into knowledge. 

__

No!

The shock sent a surge of adrenaline through Jhonen's body, pulling him out of his trance-like state and back into the real world with an abruptness that almost physically hurt. But that unpleasant awakening was nothing compared to the anguish visible as Jhonen's eyes snapped open.

"Jhonen...?" Hal asked, worry creeping into her voice once again at the sight of Jhonen's obvious pain. "What happened?"

Jhonen looked up, watched the many faces around him, all drawn closer by the sudden commotion. Oddly, he felt no confusion, no uncertainty, no need to deny what he had seen. His powers didn't lie, he had known that for a long time. For a moment he stood motionless, desperately hoping that time would stop, stop where it was and not force him to say the words that pained him more than he had ever imagined possible.

But as always, time didn't listen, and Jhonen let the silence stretch out for another long moment before he sighed and looked away. 

"It was a spirit."

"Jhonen..." This time it was Ryan, but he stopped as Jhonen shook his head. 

"It was a spirit," the boy finally repeated, his voice barely a whisper. "Laetitia is dead."

***


	76. Lamentations

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: WritingMoose: *grins* Sorry, but Laetitia's death suited the plotline best. And the beginning of the end? Yeah...I think it is. 

Ageless: *smirk* Don't worry - me and the muses will talk with Lucian if he has any objections ^^

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

'...' indicates Jhonen's use of his powers

***

Chapter Sixty-One: Lamentations

***

There was a stark moment of silence following Jhonen's words as they tried to comprehend what he'd just said, then-

"Dead?" Hal repeated disbelieving. "But she can't..." The albino trailed off and fell silent, not sure how to continue. One some level, Laetitia had seemed almost immortal - like Blade and Jordane, she seemed to have an uncanny ability to escape situations that no ordinary person could have survived. Much as Hal hated to admit it, the trio was the very foundation of the team, and odd as it sounded, their seeming invulnerability gave the rest of the team a certain confidence - they had survived this long, and they would continue to survive whatever the world decided to throw at them. 

But now, with one swift blow, part of that foundation had been crushed, leaving the team far more vulnerable than before. And the remaining two members of the trio...Hal's eyes widened as she realized something.

__

Laetitia went off to find them...and their two cellmates. If she was with them when it happened...

Hal looked at Ryan, intending to make him aware that this could easily be worse than they'd expected, but Diana had obviously been thinking the very same thing and reached out to touch Ryan's shoulder.

"Ryan...what about Kyle and Suzuka?" she asked quietly. 

And suddenly, the grim reality became all too clear - it was no longer a matter of when the remaining four got out of the prison. It was a matter of 'if'.

Ryan didn't reply but closed his eyes; the people that surrounded him temporarily forgotten as he surrendered himself to the whirls of emotions that assaulted his mind. He reached out, letting his mental fingers run through bundles of confusing feeling and memories, searching for that one presence he would recognize anywhere. 

__

Kyle?

There was no reply from the madness around him, and Ryan pushed himself further into the hurricane, forcing himself to resist the increasingly powerful emotions that roared around him, threatening to tear his mind apart.

__

Kyle? Suzuka!

Still no reply, and the silence was almost as deafening as the chaos around him. He should have been able to sense Kyle, he knew that beyond any doubt. They'd known each other for more than four years...by now, Ryan knew Kyle's mental presence almost as well as he knew his own.

__

KYLE!

Silence. 

He should have been able to sense him...he'd been able to last time Kyle had been unconscious. Kyle's presence had always been out there somewhere, around the edges of his mind, somehow comforting Ryan with the fact that he would never really be alone.

__

Kyle...Ryan's mental voice tailed off, the sound torn from his lips by madness that surrounded him.

Almost reluctantly Ryan let himself pull back from the hurricane and into the relative safety of the real world. He took a moment to calm his mind, then slowly opened his eyes to face the people around him.

"Ryan?" Deirdre looked at him, silently asking him to take away the fear and uncertainly, and tell them that everything would be all right. 

"I can't sense them," Ryan replied quietly, hoping to make the news a little easily to hear. "They could be unconscious, or maybe they're still wearing those collars, but right now I can't sense them. I'm sorry."

"Unconscious?" Deirdre repeated, a hint of desperate hope shining through the words.

"Yeah," Ryan said, bending the truth just a little. He knew he should have been able to sense Kyle even if he'd been unconscious, but...but there could have been other factors involved, couldn't there? The collars, or the prison itself, or something completely different, something which would have forced Kyle out of his reach. They shouldn't give up hope, not now. 

Ben sent Ryan a long look, and the telepath focused his attention on the young healer.

__

Couldn't you sense Kyle the last time he was unconscious? Ben asked silently, worry tainting his thoughts.

__

Yes...I could, Ryan whispered in reply, and Ben frowned. 

__

But...can't you feel anything? Anything at all? he asked, and like Deirdre he looked to Ryan to make the fear and worry he felt go away. 

__

Only silence...I'm sorry, Ryan replied quietly, and for a brief moment Ben felt the pain and uncertainty that Ryan could not allow himself to show on the outside. 

__

They're alive...they have to be, Ben said with more conviction than he felt, the words meant to reassure Ryan rather than himself. _Kyle is too smart to get caught in a situation like that...they both are._

Ryan was silent for a moment, then sighed softly. _Thank you._

They both knew that Ben had lied, that there was a real chance that something serious had happened to Kyle and Suzuka, but that small gesture still comforted Ryan more than he'd expected. It felt good to know that even among the chaos, the fighting, and the suffering, Ben's support remained unwavering. No leader could stand alone, and Ben, having watched over Ryan and Kyle for a long time, knew that fact better than anyone. 

Ben didn't reply, but just shrugged slightly, almost uncomfortably, and again Ryan got the distinct impression that something that wrong, that something was bothering Ben. His behavior, the slight change in his mental presence...something was definitely wrong, but much as Ryan hated to admit it, now was not the time to worry about it. Getting out of the prison alive had first priority...no matter how much he cared about Ben as a friend and teammate, the safety of the team as a whole came first.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ryan saw Hal step away from Pheonix, whom she had deliberately stayed near - even to Ryan who barely knew the girl, it was obvious that she'd taken the news of Laetitia's death badly. She didn't react as Hal let go of her, but remained where she was, unmoving and silent. 

Hoping to take his mind off the grim situation if only for a moment, Ryan let his eyes trail Hal until she stopped next to Jhonen, and he realized what she was doing. Slowly Ryan headed over to Jhonen as well, taking the chance to check on his teammates on the way. They looked worried, of course - no big surprise - but not to a point where they looked downright sick with worry. Apparently, they had accepted Ryan's explanation as to why he couldn't feel Kyle and Suzuka, and that, at least, was something to be thankful for. The people who seemed to take the news the hardest was Pheonix...and Jhonen.

Hal reached out and touched the boy's shoulder gently, and the faraway look in his eyes disappeared. 

"Hal?" he asked, watching her with an almost confused look, and for a moment Ryan saw the innocent, young teenager he'd come to know so well over the past year and a half. 

"Can you sense them?" Hal asked softly. She didn't have to elaborate - judging from the look on Jhonen's face, he understood her all too well. 

Jhonen frowned, then closed his eyes and felt reality dissolve around him as he returned to the spirit world. 

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself not on Laetitia's beach, or by the shore of Erik's endless, dark lake. Instead, he found himself in a void-like space - he could feel no ground beneath his feet, or even what was up and down, north and south. No color was to be found, either - it wasn't black or white, or even gray. It wasn't a color as much as a lack of color - like an impenetrable mist it surrounded him, but even though it *seemed* like a fog, he felt no dampness on his skin, no cold touch of ghostly fingers. 

Jhonen got the distinct impression of endlessness, and still he couldn't help but feel claustrophobic thanks to the heavy mist-like substance around him. He shivered and closed his eyes briefly, trying to calm down his beating heart. He wanted nothing more than to get far away from that unnerving place, but he had a job to do first.

'Suzuka?' he asked the nothingness, desperately hoping that he wouldn't get a reply. 'Suzuka!'

Only silence greeted him, and somehow it comforted Jhonen. Of the four, Suzuka was probably the person that he knew the best...that, and she was also the one with the strongest feelings towards him. That would make her the person most likely to hear his call, even if the emotion she felt was nothing but pure hatred. If she didn't reply, there was a fair chance that she was still alive...and along with her, Kyle, Blade, and Jordane.

'Suzuka!'

Still only silence, and Jhonen turned his head, but saw nothing but more of the unnerving ghostly nothingness. Maybe they were still alive. Maybe they'd only lost one teammate today.

'Laetitia...' he whispered, and for a moment he felt the caress of warm, gentle fingers on his cheek, followed by the scent of her hair. Then the moment had passed, and Jhonen fought back the tears that threatened to fall.

Resolutely he focused on the nothingness again, concentrating on his memories of the four missing mutants. Tears were for the weak...Laetitia had never cried, and neither would he.

'Kyle?'

Silence, and Jhonen spun around, searching for any movement, any sounds, anything at all.

'Blade? Jordane?'

As before, there was no reply, and with relief flooding his senses, Jhonen finally allowed himself to leave the claustrophobic nothingness. He felt the ground return beneath his feet, followed by the welcome feeling of gravity, and he slowly opened his eyes, thankful to back in the real world.

"Jhonen?" Hal asked, waiting concerned for the result of his brief foray into the spirit world. 

"I couldn't sense them," Jhonen replied. "I tried to focus on them, but there was only nothingness."

Hal nodded, and a bit of the weight seemed to fall off her shoulders. Ryan hadn't been able to sense them...but then again, neither had Jhonen. Maybe there was still hope after all. 

Now the question was what to do. They couldn't stay - they'd remained there for too long already. If they stayed, it was only a matter of time before they were captured again. It was really a matter of the needs of the many, wasn't it? Hal wondered. The safety of the people around her, or the possible escape of four people whose current situation and condition was unknown. 

She felt Ryan move next to her, and sighed softly.

"We can't stay," she said quietly, the words paining her more than she'd thought possible. 

"No," Ryan replied, his voice equally quiet. They both know what was at stake - they both had a team to worry about, and two teammates who could very well be dead or re-captured. They didn't want to leave or to leave anyone behind, but they also knew that they didn't have a choice. It was a matter of survival, it was that simple. This was what the books and movies never dealt with - the painfully decisions any leader would have to make. The lives of the many...or the death of them all. 

Ryan sighed and made his choice.

"Deirdre...did you manage to get the van working?" he asked, and Deirdre nodded slowly, almost afraid of what she knew would follow.

"Good," Ryan replied, and slowly made his way towards the vehicles.

"Wait...what are you doing?" Diana asked, reaching out to capture Ryan's hand with her own. Ryan sent her a regretful look and kissed her hand gently, unconsciously asking her to make the pain and guilt go away.

"Hal?" This time it was Aaron, watching his teammate carefully with his snake-like, blue eyes.

Hal looked away for a moment, looking for the strength to go through with the decision.

"Just get into the vans," she finally said. "We're leaving."

***


	77. 12th Interlude: Beneath the Masks

The character profiles for Zahra and Daryn have been uploaded, and the ficlet-page has been updated with an AU ficlet by Maxwell Dark, centered around Hal and Zach. The addy is sorciere.freeservers.com / journey / index.html

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: VivaGlam: I had a talk with Vamp - he agreed to stop thinking of you as 'amusing, squeaky food', if you agreed to let him get his hands on Tora for just an hour or so. Between the two of us, I *do* advise you to accept the deal...O.o

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Twelfth Interlude: Beneath the Mask

***

The desert around them was slowly cooling down as the searing sun disappeared below the horizon, and in the second of the two vans, Hal was more than a bit thankful that the wide plains no longer reflected the sun. She was driving the van, following Ryan who drove ahead, and in the seat beside her, Pheonix was watching the desert area with an unnerving, emotionless look.

The two front seats were separated from the rest of the seats by a dark glass screen, and that was part of the reason why Hal had chosen this van rather than the other. Ever since Jhonen's revelation, Pheonix had slowly, but steadily sunk into herself, barely reacting to the world outside her own mind. Someone needed to pull her out of the almost trance-like state, and at this moment, Hal was probably the best person for the job. 

She hadn't needed to explain it to Ryan - whether it was his telepathy or simple common sense, she didn't know, but he had realized just as fast as she had, that Pheonix needed to be around someone she knew and trusted. No words had been exchanged, merely an understanding look, and the group had split up in two, leaving the internment camp as quickly as they could. They had avoided the main entrance and instead escaped through a wide hole that Zach had been more than willing to blast through the large wall that surrounded the area. With a little luck, they would be safe for the time being - time to relax, to re-charge...and to take care of their teammates. 

Hal looked briefly at Pheonix, mentally debating the options before opting for the most direct one.

"Pheonix?" she asked, but the girl didn't reply. Instead, she merely curled up on the seat and stared at the desert that surrounded them.

"Pheonix..." Hal tried again, hoping to get through to the girl. Her silence was starting to get more than a bit unnerving, and Hal couldn't help but worry about her younger teammate. Despite the faults she'd had, Laetitia had been almost like a sister to Pheonix, and there was no telling how Pheonix would react to this sudden loss.

"She wasn't heartless," Pheonix finally said, still looking out the window.

Hal sent her a questioning look, waiting for the girl to elaborate.

"She wasn't heartless," Pheonix repeated quietly after a long moment of silence. "She cared about me."

__

Yes, Hal thought, turning her attention to the road again. _She did. And she isn't the only one, Pheonix._

"We do, too," she said quietly. 

"But she understood me," Pheonix half-snapped, turning her head to look at Hal. This sudden bout of anger was the first emotion besides grief that Pheonix had shown, and somehow it comforted Hal. "You don't - none of you do."

Hal waited for a moment before replying, letting Pheonix calm down a bit.

"We might if you gave us a chance," she replied. "You're our friend and teammate, Pheonix - we *do* care about you."

Pheonix snorted and looked away again. "You don't know what it feels like to lose the only person who ever gave a damn about you!" she said angrily, glaring at the desert ground that flew by beneath them.

The comment made Hal turn her attention from the road just long enough to send Pheonix an almost angry look. "Don't you think we know what it feels like to lose someone you care about?" she asked, her voice matching the hard look in her eyes. "Just because we rarely talk about our pasts, doesn't mean we've never experienced loss."

Pheonix fell silent and Hal continued, a bit quieter this time. "I had a family once, someone who cared about me. Then my powers manifested and I saved my sister's life...and they drove me out at gunpoint. Don't you think that hurt?" 

Pheonix didn't reply, but kept staring at the road with an impassive look. Hal wasn't sure if she'd even heard the words, but she continued nonetheless. She couldn't force Pheonix to listen, but if she continued for long enough, she just might be able to pull the young girl out of her self-pity. 

"Aaron lost his big brother while they lived on the streets," Hal explained softly, remembering the late-night conversations with the boy. "Zach had to leave his family when he was fourteen. Don't you think they hurt, too?"

This time there was a faint reaction from Pheonix - she looked down briefly, and that one gesture was all the encouragement Hal needed. "We've all had a fucked up childhood, Pheonix, and we all know just how much life can hurt. Don't think you're the only one who has ever lost someone." 

Pheonix hesitated, then looked slowly, almost uncertainly at Hal. For a moment the hard look in her eyes were gone, replaced by the softer look that suited someone her age; grief, pain, and confusion mixing in their dark depths.

"What did you do?" she asked, and hesitated for a moment. "When..." she trailed off, but the meaning wasn't lost on Hal.

The albino shrugged, and felt a brief, dull pain at the memories that suddenly returned. 

"I moved on," she replied. "It hurt like hell, but I got over it."

"Moving on means forgetting," Pheonix pointed out with a frown. "I don't want that." 

"You'll have to eventually," Hal replied, she herself not even sure if she referred to moving on or forgetting. Maybe both.

The two fell silent again, both thinking about what had been said between them. Silence, then-

"I'll miss her, too, you know," Hal confided quietly, and on some level she was surprised to find that she would indeed miss the Greek mercenary. Somehow, she hadn't expected that. "She was a good teammate." 

Pheonix smiled faintly, and a bit of life slowly returned to her eyes. 

"Thank you," she whispered. 

Hal just shrugged uncomfortably, and the van fell silent once more.

***


	78. Eye of the Storm

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: Rascal: Normal past? You know, according to psychology, it takes a *lot* to create that fucked up a person...*g*

Sabrin: Don't worry, the muses are helping, all right ^^

VivaGlam: *mildly* Now, now...you can't really blame Vamp, now can you? He just wanted a snack, and you just happened to be nearby...and he gets so awfully bored when he doesn't have someone to play with *smirk*

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Sixty-Two: Eye of the Storm

***

The world was white - a harsh, white brightness that burned through everything and sent needles of pain through Kyle's head. It was bright, too bright for his sensitive eyes, and Kyle groaned softly. His head hurt, his body hurt, and even the simple gesture of covering his eyes with his hands was a feat in itself.

Slowly, excruciatingly slowly, Kyle's eyes got used to the searing brightness, and he looked around cautiously, not sure what to expect. 

The world was white - white floor, white walls, white ceiling...and a large, gray metal door. 

__

Shit!

The room looked suspiciously like a cell, and considering the last thing Kyle remembered before losing consciousness, chances were that it was indeed a cell somewhere.

The sound of movement caught Kyle's attention, and somehow he managed to turn around to look at the area behind him. Suzuka was lying motionless on the floor, her chest rising and falling in slow, regular intervals. A bit away from her, Jordane moved slightly, apparently waking up as well, and next to her, Blade had somehow managed to get on his feet, although his body language showed beyond any doubt that he felt just as miserable as Kyle did.

A flash of pain sent mental claws through Kyle's mind as his body slowly woke up, making him aware of every single place that hurt, and somehow managed to focus the pain right where it would feel the worst.

Slowly, and very careful not to put himself in any more pain, Kyle got up on his feet and supported himself against the wall as he made his way to Suzuka. Right now she was his first priority - the danger that Blade's presence posed would have to come second. Besides, if Blade had wanted them dead, he would have killed them before the failed attempt to escape, Kyle could see that even in his current condition. 

Suzuka moved slightly and mumbled something in Japanese, and the tone she used made Kyle thankful that he didn't know what, exactly, she had said.

"Suzuka?" he said quietly and carefully sat down next to the girl.

Suzuka opened her eyes, only to close them again immediately as the harsh light greeted her. She waited a moment, then opened her eyes again, this time slower to give them the chance to adapt to the brightness.

"Where are we?" she mumbled, voicing the question they had all been wondering about. 

"I don't know," Kyle replied with a small sigh. Waking up in suspiciously cell-like places was starting to become a bad habit, and one he has more than willing to get rid of. 

"Wherever we are, it isn't the same place as before," Blade said, slowly fighting back the unpleasant headache that still lingered in the back of his mind. "The collars are different."

Jordane fought back a small groan as she sat up, and Blade turned his attention away from Kyle and focused it on Jordane instead. He kneeled next to her and asked her about something, his voice too low for Kyle to hear. Jordane nodded, then whispered something in reply, and the faintest hint of a small smile was visible on Blade's face.

Kyle frowned, wondering for a moment about the two, but he had more important things on his mind...namely the almost casual comment Blade had made about the collars.

Kyle reached up and found that a thick, round metal band had been locked around his neck, its weight temporarily unnoticed because of the pain he felt. He let a hand run across it carefully and felt a small inscription in the back of the otherwise flawless metal. Kyle frowned, then reached down and brushed Suzuka's long hair out of the way to get a good look at her collar, hoping to see what the inscription said.

"Kyle...?" she asked, a bit confused. Normally, she would have tried to turn around and see what was going on, but currently she was too weakened to do much.

Kyle didn't reply but merely continued his inspection of the smooth, black collar and finally found what he had been looking for - a small serious of letters in the neck, stamped into the metal. He let a finger run across the letters, then felt his eyes widen.

"Property...of the U.S. Military?" he read, then closed his eyes for a second. "Damn!"

"U.S. Military?" Suzuka asked. "But why would they-?"

Her question was cut off by the deep clang of metal against metal as the mechanisms inside the seemingly solid door shifted to unlock. A moment passed, then the door opened soundlessly, and about half a dozen soldiers walked into the room, followed by a man in his late thirties. The uniform he wore lacked any kind of insignias, but it was impossible to miss the air of authority that surrounded him.

The sudden appearance of their captors forced away the last of the grogginess, and the four mutants got up, watching the soldiers with various degrees of suspiciousness and anger.

"I trust that none of you suffered any permanent injuries from the sedatives?" the man asked, his eyes every bit as impassive as his voice. No emotions crossed his face, but none had to - it was clear to all in the cell that the four meant nothing to him. 

He met Suzuka's hateful glare evenly, clearly unimpressed by her, then let his eyes sweep across the four once again, slowly analyzing what he saw. Hatred from the Asian girl - considering her youthfulness, that was only to be expected. A wary look from the younger of the males, cautious, but not afraid. Anger from the other girl, but she seemed to be able to keep her temper in check - that was a bit surprising, but not entirely unexpected. The second man's eyes held a cold annoyance, and he was clearly analyzing the situation, looking for any weakness to exploit - this was no surprise, considering what his file had said.

"What do you want with us?!" Jordane demanded angrily as she was finally unable to withstand the unnerving silence anymore.

The man pointedly ignored her question and sent the four mutants another long, measuring look, his eyes losing none of their indifference. 

"My name is Sanders, and you four are currently the guests of the U.S. Military," the man finally began, his body language revealing only what he wanted it to - in this case, an almost careless confidence. Suzuka opened her mouth to tell him exactly what she thought of that, but Sanders cut her off before she could even begin. "I'm sure you've noticed the collars around your necks, and contrary to what you might think, they are not power-suppressive."

He paused for a moment, but was met only by a heavy silence. 

"These collars are our insurance of your continuous good behavior," Sanders continued slowly, his eyes constantly watching the four. "Beneath the metal surface is an explosive called thermite, which is strong enough to vaporize iron." 

"You're bluffing," Kyle said with more confidence than he felt. "You wouldn't have gone through all this trouble just to kill us."

The words were said as a statement, but in all honesty Kyle was far from sure if he was right - it was, however, a chance he was willing to take. Sanders would have known that they might not believe him, and had probably already a reply planned. And the longer they could keep him talking, the more information they were likely to get about the place they were currently trapped in. 

Sanders arched an eyebrow. "Is that a chance you're willing to take?" he asked. There was no reply and he continued. "Are you ready to risk your life - your cellmates' lives - on something as dangerous as this?"

None of the mutants asked the question that Sanders had so obviously been leading up to, but he answered it anyway.

"Yes - your own life won't be the only one at stake here. If something happens to one collar, the others will detonate. If you try to escape or disobey an order, the collars will detonate." Sanders' eyes came to rest on Suzuka, and he continued, never looking away from the girl. "And if any of you try to attack me, you will live to regret it."

Suzuka glared at him, but allowed her muscles to relax ever so slightly, unwilling to endanger Kyle by doing something rash.

Blade watched Sanders for a moment, but the human didn't continue his small speech. 

"You didn't answer our question," Blade said coldly. This whole game was beginning to annoy him - it was obvious to everyone that the military wouldn't have gone through all that trouble without a reason, and the lack of an explanation was starting to make Blade more than a bit impatient. "What do you want with us?"

"I will answer your questions when I deem it necessary," Sanders replied, his voice every bit as cold as Blade's. "And right now, the only thing you four need to know, is that we have a job for you, and that your future survival depends on your ability to do that job."

"And who says that we want to accept that job?" Blade asked, arching an eyebrow. Kyle glared at him, clearly wanting to tell him to stop provoking the man, but Blade pointedly ignored him. "I don't work for the military, and I don't intend to start now."

"Yes, you will," Sanders said with finality. "Don't underestimate me, Heron - you don't know what you're up against." There was a hint of surprise in Blade's eyes, and Sanders continued with the confidence of someone who knew that they had already won. "Yes, I know who you are - I know who all of you are. We have a quite impressive file on you, and I'm well aware that death-threats don't matter to you." He paused for a moment, allowing a small smile to show. "But you're not invulnerable - one of your greatest weaknesses just happens to be here as well, and I think it's safe to assume that as long as your partner's life is on the line, you will cooperate with us."

Blade's eyes narrowed angrily, the emotion directed as much against their captor as himself for allowing such a weakness. Much as he hated to admit it, Sanders had a point - had it only been his own life at stake, Blade wouldn't have cared. But with Jordane with him, things were different - her safety was his responsibility, and he wasn't going to let her die because of him. 

Sanders met Blade's glare for a moment before turning his attention to the rest, seemingly unaffected by the clear threat visible in Blade's eyes.

"Make no mistake," Sanders finally said, letting his eyes linger for a moment on each of them. "This isn't a matter of whether or not you will cooperate - this is only a matter of how far we have to go to break you."

His point made, Sanders turned around and left the room with his cohort, not pausing to look back. The last of the humans left the room, and the door began to close again. Faint footsteps could be heard down the hallway, then the door closed, the sound echoing through the room with finality.

***


	79. The Price for Freedom

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: Ageless: *shrugs* If they can't find anything on Kyle, they'll make something up. They're the military; they can get away with that. 

SilentPegasus: Well, since it's not an entirely legal thing the military has going on, I don't think we have to worry about citizenship...*smirk*

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Sixty-Three: The Price for Freedom

***

It was maybe two hours later when the door to the cell unlocked again, tearing the four mutants out of their musings. Surprisingly, the cell had been all but silent since their captors had left - once the initial adrenaline rush had faded, the after effects of the drug had returned with renewed strength, making them feel nothing short of miserable. The drug was clearly different from the one used by the police - even now, their headaches still lingered, joined by an unpleasant grogginess.

The door opened and half a dozen soldiers stepped into the large cell, this time without Sanders.

"Get up," one of them, apparently the leader, ordered curtly, and motioned towards the door.

Suzuka glared at him, but much to Kyle's relief she didn't reply, but merely got on her feet like her three cellmates and reluctantly followed the soldiers out of the door. They continued down a depressingly gray hallway, and try as he might, Kyle could find no hints as to where this place was - this hallway could be any military installation on the continent. His eyes came to rest on Blade for a moment, and the man's calmness only added to Kyle's uncertainty - Blade was planning something, he had to be, and Kyle could only pray that the other had enough common sense not to do something that would get them all killed. No, he didn't like the current situation at all, but he liked the thought of death even less.

They continued down another hallway, then followed the soldiers into a large room. The place looked like a briefing room of some kind, with large screens on the walls, and a table in the middle of the room. In one of the chairs, Sanders watched their arrival impassively, then motioned towards four seats.

"Please, sit down," he said, the words civilized but his expression showing nothing but an almost careless indifference towards the four. 

The door was shut behind them, and the four exchanged a brief look before sitting down. They were all aware of the presence of the soldiers behind them, but none of them let their tenseness show - Sanders might have the upper hand, but none of them were willing to show any weakness in front of these people.

One of the screens came alive, a video flickering across it, and was then joined by several other, some with videos, others with unmoving photographs. All of them showed the same thing - a man in his late forties, his observant blue eyes watching the world beneath light brown hair tinted with gray. One of the video showed more details - the expensive clothes, the dark-clad guards that constantly surrounded him, watching the crowd suspiciously. 

"Senator Benjamin Ross," Sanders began, motioning towards the screens with a wave of his hand. "I'm sure you recognize him - pro-mutant activists are so rare these days, especially among high profile politicians." He smiled faintly, then continued. "The good senator is giving a speech in Houston, Texas in five days, despite the fact that he has already received several death-threats. Remarkable, isn't it?" 

Blade sent him a vaguely annoyed look, tired of the games. "Get to the point," he demanded, his calmness starting to fade away. He wasn't a patient man by nature, and being the involuntary guest of the military didn't help on it, either. 

Sanders arched an eyebrow, looking vaguely amused. "All right," he replied, shrugging slightly. "Either the senator dies, or you do. It's really very simple."

The man's almost careless reply took all of them by surprise, but it didn't take long for the obvious problems with the deal to register. Ever the professional, Blade was the first to voice what they all thought.

"You don't need four people to put a bullet in someone's head," he pointed out, the suspiciousness in his voice echoed by the look in his eyes. "Any one of your uniformed pets here could handle that."

Kyle shook his head, his mind catching up with the words as well. "He's right - why would you go through all this trouble just to kill one man?" he added. "What's the real deal?"

Sanders' eyes narrowed, a faint annoyance starting to show. 

"At the moment, the details do not concern you," he dismissed coldly. "The only thing that matters right now is whether or not you agree to cooperate. If you cooperate, you are free to leave afterwards - all of you. If you refuse, you will be killed."

"You can't do this!" Suzuka protest angrily. So far she'd listened silently, using the opportunity to get a good look at the humans and the room they were in, but the careless dismissal of their lives was something she refused to let pass. "We won't let you blackmail us like this!"

Sanders arched an eyebrow, turning his attention to the girl. "Blackmail? I prefer to look at it as a favor - if we hadn't stepped in, you would have been killed during that little stunt of yours in the internment camp," he pointed out. "We saved your lives, meaning that they belong to us. Now we're giving you the chance to repay that favor and get your freedom back...it doesn't sound like a bad deal to me."

"We won't help you kill an innocent man," Suzuka objected. "I don't know what you think, but not all of us are psychotic killers!"

"Quite frankly, mutant, I don't care," Sanders replied calmly. "I'm giving you the chance to cooperate of your own free will. If you refuse, I assure you that we will find a way to change your mind." He let his hand rest on a small stack of files on the table, fingers tapping lightly on the paper. "You have an interesting history, Suzuka. Born in Japan, left for the States to participate in a martial arts tournament...and you're still wanted for attempted murder in Baltimore." 

A thoughtful look crossed Sanders' face, and his fingers stopped their restless tapping for a moment. "Once we've broken you, I think we'll send you back to Baltimore. The widely publicized trial of a wanted mutant...months of public humiliation. Given the circumstances, you will probably get twenty-five to life," he mused, almost to himself, before his eyes found Suzuka again. "I'm sure you would enjoy every minute of that," he said, the faintest hint of a smirk crossing his lips.

"You don't scare me," Suzuka replied, still defiant, but this time a touch of uncertainty was visible in her gray eyes. 

Sanders stood up, picking up the files as he did so. "I'm not trying to scare you - I'm telling you the facts," he corrected. "You four are in a bad situation. Kyle Sanderson...for a mutant you're remarkably clean, but there's still this one incident in Scotland," he said, his eyes coming to rest on Kyle.

"I had nothing to do with that!" Kyle objected. "I was fifteen yours old!"

Sanders arched an eyebrow. "But given the current circumstances, who are the human jury most likely to believe - their fellow humans, or one, lonely mutant?" Kyle didn't reply, and Sanders turned his attention to Jordane instead. "Jordane Rush, wanted for the murder of a human four years ago." At Jordane's surprised expression, he continued. "Yes, we know about that little 'accident', despite the efforts your partner here went through to keep you safe. Cold-blooded murder...you're probably facing the death penalty for that." Sanders turned his attention to the last of the four, smirking slightly as he did so. "And Blade Heron...there isn't a single government on the North American continent who wouldn't have you executed in a heartbeat."

Sanders slowly walked down the floor, then back again, giving the mutants a chance to realize just how bad their situation was.

"But I'm offering you a deal...I just want one man to go away, and you'll be free. One life to save four...that sounds pretty fair to me," he explained, deliberately making his voice as calm and reasonable as he could. 

"How do we know you'll keep *your* part of the deal?" Jordane objected. "For all we know, you'll shoot us the moment the job is done."

Sanders shrugged. "You'll just have to trust me, because you don't have a choice." He paused for a moment, watching the four. "Do we have a deal?"

"No!" In one, fluent movement Suzuka got on her feet, staring defiantly at Sanders. "You can't do this - we won't be your obedient, little killers!"

Fearing for her safety, Kyle started to get up, reaching out to put a calming hand on Suzuka's arm, but he was fragments of a second too slow - Blade had gotten the same idea, and his methods were nowhere near as gentle as Kyle's.

Before Suzuka could react, Blade had reached out and captured her lower arm in a wise-like grip, and Suzuka felt a sharp pain shoot up her arm. She tried to tear her arm loose of his grip, but the only result was more pain as Blade tightened his grip, using the almost unnatural physical strength that very few people knew he possessed. For a moment Suzuka could *hear* the bones shift beneath his hand, feel every vibration as they tried to resist the harsh pressure that had been put on them, then Blade loosed his grip slightly, allowing Suzuka's arm a brief moment of rest.

Sanders arched an eyebrow, unaffected by the brief fight for control. "Well?"

Blade let go of Suzuka, and the girl sent him a hateful look, but sat down again. He let his eyes rest on her for a few more seconds, before turning his attention to Sanders. For a long moment the only sound was an almost deafening silence, then Blade slowly nodded.

"Yes...we have a deal."

***


	80. 13th Interlude: Compromises

A/N 1: Idéer til handlings- og karakter udvikling, spørgsmål, plotbunnies, forslag, flames, karakterbilleder, ficletter, rettelser, tilføjelser, kommentarer, og alt her imellem kan mailes til hack_heaven@usa.net.

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Italics indicate thoughts/telepathy

***

Thirteenth Interlude: Compromises

***

"How the hell can you agree to work with that maniac?!" Suzuka demanded the moment the door to the cell had closed, leaving the four alone once more. "You're going to get us all killed!"

Blade spun around, the calm facade giving way to barely suppressed anger. 

"On the contrary, girl - I just bought us the time we need to escape. You, on the other hand..." he stalked closer, stopping only a few steps away from Suzuka. "*You* almost got every single one of us executed because of your complete lack of common sense." He sent her a disgusted look, and Suzuka clenched her fists in anger.

"Well, I don't see you doing any better!" she snapped. "In five days, we're supposed to kill an innocent man, and I really don't think they intend to set us free after that!"

Blade snorted. "Of course they won't - they're not stupid. But at least this way we'll get five days to find a way out of this mess...unless, of course, you *want* that collar around your pretty, little neck to blow up." He narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched Suzuka. "The human wasn't exaggerating about the thermite - if that collar blew up now, it would take your entire upper body with it, at the very minimum. Of course, if it goes off, it wouldn't really matter how strong it was - you wouldn't be alive to see the result, anyway."

Suzuka unconsciously reached up, touching the collar briefly, and Blade knew the argument had gotten through to her. 

"Is that what you want, girl?" he asked, arching a brow. There was no reply from Suzuka, only a harsh glare, and he continued. "No? Well, in that case I suggest you shut up and do as you're told, before you get all of us killed."

For a moment it seemed like Suzuka's temper would snap and she would attack him, collars and potential death be damned, then Kyle walked up behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders to calm down the girl.

"She has a point," he noted. "I'm not saying that this is the wrong decision, because this was the only choice we had, but in five days we're supposed to kill a senator. What happens if we haven't escaped by then?"

Blade looked at Kyle evenly. "Then we'll kill him and fight our way out."

"We can't do that - he's a pro-mutant activist, remember? He's on *our* side," Kyle argued. "If we kill him, we'll only add to the bad reputation of mutantkind."

"Come on," Jordane said disgusted, walking up beside Blade. "How much can one politician do to stop this shit? Nothing - not a fucking thing."

"He's an innocent man!" Kyle objected. Much as he hated to admit it, he could have understood their point of view if the victim had been against mutants. But an innocent man who actually worked to *help* their kind...? No.

"And we don't care," Blade replied coldly. "If he has to die to get us out of this, then so be it."

"How can you say that?" Suzuka demanded. "You're talking about killing a man who's actually trying to help us!"

Blade arched an eyebrow. "I can say that because unlike you, I don't have any delusions left, Twilight. I know how the world works - it's kill or be killed, and as you can see, I'm still alive."

"I know how the world works, too, and you don't see me turning into some psychopath!" Suzuka snapped, glaring at Blade. 

The man just snorted. "You're naïve, Suzuka," he said, watching her coldly. "You've deluded yourself into thinking that you know what's going on, but deep inside, you're still hoping for some miracle that will make all the bad things go away and give this fucked up world a happy end." 

"I don't need a miracle to keep myself alive!" Suzuka said angrily. "I'm not some little kid anymore."

"Really?" Blade replied, arching an eyebrow. "Can you look me in the eyes and tell me that you believe that what you and the rest of your little teammate do, honestly makes a difference?"

"We're not trying to make a difference - we're just trying to survive," Suzuka said, the anger in her eyes burning with undiminished strength.

"And so are we," Blade replied, unaffected by the anger Suzuka showed. "When it all comes down to it, we're not that different, Twilight - the only real difference between you and me, if the fact that I've learned to deal with the real world, and not just hide beneath a shield of so-called 'honor'."

"I'm not like you!" Suzuka denied hatefully, disgusted at even the mere thought that she and this---this psycho had anything in common. They couldn't be more different - he was insane, a killer. He didn't even know the concept of honor. 

Blade smiled faintly. "Yes, you are...beneath that good girl facade, you're more ruthless than any of your teammates know. That girl you nearly killed during the martial arts tournament...that night you transformed into a tiger snake and tried to kill Jordane and me...we're two of a kind, Suzuka. You just haven't admitted it to yourself yet."

"Enough!" Kyle snapped, stepping between the two before things escalated. Suzuka looked at him, surprised to see him lose his temper - it took a lot to make Kyle's patience snap, and when it finally did, people listened. 

Blade smirked and allowed Kyle to break up the argument - his point had been made, and although Suzuka adamantly refused to listen to him, the first uncertainly had already started to creep into her subconsciousness. Suzuka would never change sides, Blade knew that, but it was still amusing to play with the girl's emotions - certainly amusing enough to almost be able to tolerate her presence. 

Kyle sent Blade a brief look, then turned his attention to Suzuka. 

"Listen to me...if we want to get out of this alive, we have to cooperate," he said, his voice reflecting the seriousness of the situation. "I don't like this any more than you do, but we have to do this, all right?"

"I can't work with that-that psycho!" Suzuka snapped and glared at Blade. "You can't ask me to do that."

Kyle sighed softly. "I'm sorry, Suzuka, but we don't have a choice. I know that you have every right not to trust him, but right now we have to." Suzuka didn't reply, and Kyle turned around to face Blade instead. "And you..."

Blade raised an eyebrow, the gesture deliberately arrogant. 

"Is there a problem?"

Kyle's eyes turned cold. "Yes, there *is* a problem - you have just as much at stake here as we do, Heron, don't forget that. If we want to survive, we have to cooperate. So just for one week, let's try to put our differences aside and not get each other killed," he snapped.

A smirk from Blade, but none of the anger Kyle had expected. "Since you ask so *nicely*..." he replied, the sarcasm clear in his voice.

Kyle took a step closer. "Don't underestimate me," he said quietly, making sure that only Blade would hear him. "If you hurt her, you *will* regret it, I promise you that."

For a long moment the two just stood there, eyes locked in a battle for control, then Kyle turned around and walked back to Suzuka. Blade watched him for a moment, then smiled faintly. Maybe Tempest wasn't quite the calm and even-tempered good guy that everyone thought him to be.

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This could prove interesting after all...

***


	81. An Unexpected Truce

[Scene opens to Sorcieré snoring happily in her bed, hugging her micro-economics book. Next to the bed, Fortune and Vamp - her two muses - are watching the scene with vaguely amused expressions.]

Fortune: *pokes sleeping writer* Hey, girl?

Sorcieré: *mumbles something incoherently and hugs the book a bit closer*

****

Vamp: *smirk* Well, it seems like we'll have to take over the show until she wakes up.

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Fortune: Are you sure that's a good idea...? She's gonna be pissed when she finds out.

****

Vamp: *arches eyebrow* And? We're her muses - there's nothing she can do to stop us, anyway. 

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Fortune: *looks at Sorcieré* Point taken. Let's get to work. *picks up a paper from the floor next to the bed and quickly reads it* Ageless - well, actually Sorcieré just wanted to see if anyone still reads that little note at the top. And Jordane *will* get her time in the spotlight, trust us...of course, if you keep provoking the poor girl, *you* might not be around to read that, but that's not our problem *smug grin*

****

Vamp: And VivaGlam...*smirks* Well, in that case I'm very much looking forward to that fight you've been asking for. I've never had the chance to *bite* a writer before...

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Fortune: X-Moonchik - the note was written in Danish, Sorcieré's native language. 

As said, she wanted to see if anyone still reads the bloody note.

****

Vamp: What's next?

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Fortune: *reads from paper* "**Italics** indicate thoughts/telepathy"

****

Vamp: ...Which all of you should know by now. 

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Fortune: *snicker* One of these days, we really should do a MSTing of one of her chapters. She'd hate us for that.

****

Vamp: Not to mention that it would remind her readers that Journey or not, sillyfics *are* her main forte.

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Fortune: *shakes head* 'Reality Check' is gonna give them one hell of a shock.

****

Vamp: *smirk* Wasn't that the point?

***

Chapter Sixty-Four: An Unexpected Truce

***

Night had come, and night had gone, and along with it, the brief hours of blessed coolness that followed the darkness.

Ryan sat silently on the stairs outside the motel-rooms they'd rented, watching the sunrise and feeling the first heat on his cool skin. They'd driven all night, not stopping until they were sure that nobody had followed them, and even then they'd made sure to pick a town that would offer them at least a bit of safety. Ryan wasn't even sure what it was called, only that it was medium sized and located close to a large highway - that mean plenty of people who just stopped for the night, making a few more visitors nothing out of the ordinary. 

It hadn't even been necessary for him to use his powers - Daryn had convinced a nearby ATM to give them the cash they needed, thanks to the account number that Hal with a wry smile had assured him *was* their own. 

Ryan sighed and leaned back against the hard wall, letting his thoughts drift until they settled on the one subject that Ryan had desperately tried not to think about - Kyle.

It wasn't that Ryan didn't care about Suzuka, because he did, but four years with Kyle had made the two very close friends, and very little could compete with the concern Ryan now felt for his longtime friend and support. For the past four years, Kyle's presence had been one of the few constants in his life, always lingering at the edge of his mind. It had been a comfort to him more than once, a reminder that he was never really alone. 

To suddenly lose that presence...Ryan closed his eyes and buried his head in his hands, reaching out with his powers again, desperately hoping for a reply.

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Kyle...

Once again the only answer he got was a deafening silence, followed by an almost psychical pain at the loneliness that accompanied it. Sure, Ryan could still feel the closeness of his other teammates, but where Kyle's so calm and steady presence had been, there was only emptiness.

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Focus yourself, Ryan ordered himself harshly. _You can't sense anything if you let your powers be ruled by emotions._

He took a deep breath and forced aside the lingering feeling of fear and worry, focusing completely on his powers. Another deep breath; focusing, gathering strength, then-

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Kyle!

Again he tried, stretching his mind to its very limit, searching for that one, familiar presence...and there, at the outermost corners of his mind, was the faintest echo of a drowsy, confused reply.

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Ryan..? 

And for the first time since their escape, Ryan smiled - it was a faint smile, lacking its usual strength, but it was a smile nonetheless. Kyle was alive...and suddenly the world looked a bit brighter. 

Still with the small smile on his lips, Ryan focused on Kyle's presence.

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Yes...It's me. What happened to you and Suzuka?

The reply echoed through Kyle's still-drowsy mind, and he forced himself to ignore the tiredness that still engulfed his head. He wasn't sure what time it was - his three cellmates were slowly, almost reluctantly, waking up as well, still feeling the lingering effects of the annoying drug. Kyle's body felt strangely drained, but it would have to wait - right now he had more important things to focus on.

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I tried to find you, but I couldn't sense you, Ryan continued quietly. _I was afraid that..._ he trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Even the thought that he could have lost Kyle was enough to send a stab of pain through his soul, a touch of the loneliness he so often feared. 

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Don't worry - at the moment we're okay, Kyle replied, and the emotions that accompanied the words told Ryan that it was true - they were okay, at least for now.

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What happened?

Kyle sighed softly and let down his mental barriers, letting Ryan look at his recollection of what had happened. He felt the strangely gentle feeling as Ryan sorted through the memories with infinite care, making sure that his actions wouldn't hurt Kyle. A moment of silence passed, then Ryan paused at a particular memory, anxiety humming around his presence.

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Blade is there? Ryan asked, worry and anger battling for control. The thought that Kyle and Suzuka were trapped with a psycho like that...he couldn't even bring himself to think of the possible consequences. 

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Yes, but he won't try anything, not as long as Melee's life is on the line as well, Kyle assured him, and oddly, he found that he himself believed the words as well. It was quite a risk to run - to trust that Melee's presence would keep Blade from losing patience with them - but it was a risk that Kyle was willing to take. Not that he had much of a choice, granted, but still...he'd kept a close eye on the two, and found that yes, Blade did seem to care about his partner, unlikely as it sounded.

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Are you sure? Ryan asked worried.

Kyle nodded slowly. _Yeah...I am. Trust me on this, Ryan - I know what I'm doing._

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All right, Ryan replied, but he didn't sound awfully convinced. _Do you have idea of where you are?_

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No...this place could be anywhere, Kyle replied with a sigh. _I tried to find some clues, but there was nothing._

Ryan nodded absently and continued his careful search through Kyle's memories, his attention finally coming to rest of the earlier meeting with Sanders.

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Benjamin Ross? he remarked. _I've heard of him...according to the media, the security surrounding his speech in Texas is going to be insane._

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I know, Kyle replied. _It doesn't...it doesn't make sense. If they wanted him dead, they could handle it themselves. I mean - why us? Why like this? Something's wrong._

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It certainly sounds that way, Ryan admitted with a sigh. _But right now there isn't much we can do - wherever you are, it's too far away for me to sense. I guess...I guess the best thing to do will be to keep in touch and be in Houston before you arrive._

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Yeah, I think you're right. Kyle hesitated for a moment before continuing. _What about the others? Are they okay?_

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Yes, they're fine, Ryan assured him. _We escaped unharmed._

Kyle nodded, although Ryan couldn't see it. The words had brought with them a profound sense of relief at the knowledge that Ryan and the others had gotten away. They were alive, alive and safe, and that one fact forced away some of the depressing darkness that had lingered in Kyle's mind.

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Kyle... Ryan's voice echoed through Kyle's mind once again, this time bringing with it a deep hum of worry. It wasn't hard for Kyle to guess that Ryan was more than a bit worried about the situation, and in all honestly, Kyle felt the exact same way. He suppressed the emotion, though -worrying now would accomplish nothing.

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I doubt they would have bothered to keep us alive if they just wanted to kill us, Kyle remarked, trying to offer a bit of reassurance. Whether it was for Ryan's sake or his own, he wasn't sure. 

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I know, Ryan replied, and some of the low humming faded away, _Just...be careful._

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I will.

"Kyle?"

The voice cut through the almost tranquil silence of the mental conversation, brutally returning Kyle to the real world. He opened his eyes and found Suzuka watching him concerned, still looking a bit groggy from the combination of sleep and the lingering effects of the drugs.

"It's okay," Kyle replied. "I was talking to Ryan and told him what was going on." Suzuka's eyes lit up a bit, and Kyle continued before Suzuka could ask the obvious question. "Yes...they got away."

Suzuka didn't reply with words, but a smile appeared on her lips, that one gesture lighting up her entire face. 

"Cretes, you say? So your beloved leader left without the two of you," Blade remarked with a touch of cruelty in his voice. "What a pity."

Kyle's eyes narrowed, but before he had the chance to reply to Blade's comment, Ryan interrupted him.

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No...stay out of this, Kyle. That remark was meant to hurt me - I'll handle it.

Kyle hesitated for a moment, then sighed. _All right._

There was no reply from Ryan, but Kyle could feel him strengthen his mental shields before he reached out towards the man who had caused him so much anger and grief.

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Blade... The name echoed through Kyle's mind because of the telepathic contact with Ryan, bringing with it a harder, colder side of his friend that Kyle hadn't seen before. The gentleness that usually accompanied Ryan's presence was all but gone, buried beneath the mental shields, and somehow it worried Kyle more than he had expected. 

Kyle saw Blade close his eyes to focus, his almost eerie mental presence lingering at the edge of Kyle's awareness.

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We have something to settle, Cretes, Blade replied, his cold presence brushing directly against Kyle's mind for a brief moment, just long enough to send a chill through his body.

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Yes...we do, Ryan agreed, and before Kyle could react, he felt the link between him and Ryan being cut off, leaving only a deafening silence behind.

***

Ryan took a moment to adapt to the sudden block of the link before he focused on Blade. In all honesty he would have preferred to have kept the link up, to feel Kyle's comforting presence, but he also knew that it was something he could not allow himself - this was between him and Blade. Not their teammates, not their allies...when it all came down to it, this was between them, and them alone. 

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So you escaped...but you had to leave Tempest and Twilight behind. What a shame, Blade mocked quietly. 

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I don't see how their situation is any different than yours, Ryan remarked coldly, Blade's presence fuelling Ryan's anger like few things had before. _You and Melee are prisoners, too, although your team got away._

Blade smirked faintly, strangely pleased with this more ruthless Ryan he now faced. The old Ryan had been far from a challenge...but maybe this one would be. 

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Nice try, but I'm afraid you're wrong, he replied. _My team was under orders to leave and not try to come back if anything happened...you, on the other hand, cold-bloodedly decided to leave your best friend in the hand of the humans just to save your own, sorry hide._ _How brave._

Again his voice was mocking, taunting, and Ryan clenched his fists in anger.

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Really...Blade continued, confident in his control of the situation. _It must be tearing you apart to know that two of your teammates are trapped with me...and there's absolutely nothing you can do to help them._

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Or maybe there is, Ryan replied. The anger that had seethed just beneath the surface finally erupted, finding an outlet in the only way Ryan would be able to strike back - his powers. As he'd told Diana so long ago, his control was all but non-existent, but in this case control didn't matter. It was a matter of damage, not finesse.

A rush of adrenaline surged through Ryan and made his body hum with energy as his secondary and all but dormant power lashed out, draining Blade's strength with a speed that surprised both of the two. 

For a brief moment, Blade was too stunned to react, then his instincts took over - it was only a matter of time before Ryan had gained the upper hand, and he would not allow that to happen. His hand closed around the lock to the collar, his intention deliberately clear to Ryan. 

It took less than a second for the telepath to react, then the draining stopped, the link cut over by a mental knife.

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I'm sure you've taken a look at Sanderson's memories, Blade remarked icily. _You should know by now that if I tear this collar open, your two, little teammates will die._

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If you tear that collar open, you and Jordane will die as well, Ryan replied, his voice every bit as unyielding as Blade's, but at the innermost corners of his mind, the doubt lingered. He knew Blade, knew what he could do, and something like this was not unthinkable.

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Yes, Blade replied. _I know._

There was no hesitation in the reply, no uncertainty, only cold, ruthless anger. 

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You're bluffing, Ryan said, almost challenging, but knew deep down that this was not the case.

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I don't bluff, Blade replied indifferently, confirming Ryan's suspicions. _A threat is useless unless you're willing to go through with it. I thought you'd learned that by now._

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A life means nothing to you, does it? Ryan remarked disgusted, but he still forced his power under control again, making sure that he wouldn't accidentally unleash it if he let his concentration slip.

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Should it? Blade replied. 

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And what about your teammates? Ryan asked coldly. _Don't they mean anything to you, either? Was Laetitia's death just a minor inconvenience?_

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Nike? What happened to her? Blade asked with a frown, his argument with Ryan momentarily forgotten.

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You didn't know? Ryan asked, real confusion tinting his mental presence for a brief moment. _She died when the prison blew up._

Blade didn't reply, but a hint of real regret could be felt through the temporary mental link, the emotion only fuelling Ryan's anger. 

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You can grieve the death of an assassin, but not allow an innocent teenager to live? he demanded angrily. _You're sick._

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You attacked us - we had every right to take revenge, Blade replied coldly. _The fact that your teammate had to pay the price can be blamed only on you._

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Then let's settle it without any teammates to get in the way, Ryan suggested. The more rational part of his mind was well aware that this was a very bad idea, but right now Ryan really didn't care. This had gone on for long enough - it was time to finish it before any more innocents got hurt. 

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If I remember correctly, we're tried that before, Blade remarked. _But the only result was the mindswitch you caused in your amazing stupidity._

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I've learned from my mistakes, Ryan replied coldly. _All of them._

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Then what do you suggest? Blade asked, cool curiosity radiating from his presence. Ryan's suggestion intrigued him more than he cared to admit - during their first standoff, the other had hardly been a challenge. Now, though...Ryan's willingness to use his powers to hurt others, along with the change in his mind had turned him into someone far more interesting to Blade. He'd been right - Ryan had grown up, and the possibility of facing someone who might even prove a real challenge was enough to make Blade forget about their dispute for a while. 

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What I suggest is a temporary truce, Ryan replied. _As it is now, your team partially depends on me, just as Kyle and Suzuka's safety defends partially on you. We wait until we've gotten out of danger, and then we can settle this once and for all._ _We can't afford to fight now, not when the lives both of our teams depend on us._

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A truce? Blade repeated, amusement clear in his voice.

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Yes.

For a moment there was silence as Blade considered the suggestion. Much as he hated to admit it, Ryan had a point - they both had a responsibility to live up to, whether they liked it or not. Besides...what would a few more weeks or months mean in the long run? He could be patient when needed be, and in this case his patience would be worth is.

Finally he nodded and gave Ryan the reply he had been waiting for. 

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Very well. Then a truce it is.

***


	82. Agony and Ecstasy

A/N 1: Do we really have to go through this again? No? Thought so.

A/N 2: Rascal: Well, technically Kyle can freeze the collars, but then what? Sanders will push the detonator, and even if they manage to get the collars off, they will still be trapped in a cell with four bombs waiting to explode. It's limited how long Kyle can keep those bombs from detonating, so it's really just a matter of time before something goes 'boom', and I lose an excellent future plot twist *smirk*. Oh, and Kyle can freeze people, although crushing them like bugs might prove a bit of a problem *grins*

Meridian: Thank you :) Most of the timeline was worked out mainly to give the characters some sort of extra back story I could work into the fic - most of the titles it refers to are chapter-titles, and the ficlets on the page. If there are any of them I've forgotten to put up, just drop me a mail and I'll send them to you ^^

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Italics indicate thoughts/telepathy

'...' Indicates a conversation between Jhonen and a spirit.

***

Chapter Sixty-Five: Agony and Ecstasy

***

"They're alive."

The words were simple, but to the people gathered in the motel room, they were the most welcome words they'd heard in a long time. Joy, relief, happiness - it all joined together, radiating from the room, warming Ryan's mind, and taking with it some of the worry and anger that had clouded his thoughts. 

"Where are they? Are they all right?" Diana asked, voicing the question that was on everybody's mind.

"They're being held by the military, but they're okay at the moment," Ryan replied. "But where they are...I don't know. They haven't been told, and I couldn't sense Kyle's location. They could be anywhere," he admitted.

"But...how are we gonna find them, then?" Deirdre asked, concern starting to show on her face. "If you don't know where they are, then..."

Ryan sighed softly.

"They'll be in Houston in five days," he said and continued before anyone could ask. "They're supposed to kill a senator."

"Kill someone?" Ben repeated. "But Kyle and Suzuka wouldn't-"

"They didn't have a choice. It was blackmail," Ryan explained, a hint of bitterness tainting his voice at the thought of what his two teammates were going through. "If they didn't agree, they would have been killed."

The room fell silent as the two teams considered Ryan's words, and the telepath took a moment to survey the odd group of mutants gathered around him. By some silent agreement it seemed that the usual hostility between the two groups had been suppressed for the time being, and instead they focused on staying alive. Some part of Ryan couldn't help but marvel that fact, even through the graveness of the situation. If the remaining members of the Shadow Alliance were willing to put aside their anger, then maybe Blade and Nike hadn't twisted them as much as Ryan had feared. 

Turning his head slightly, Ryan's eyes fell on Hal who noticed his look and arched a white eyebrow in response. Yes, she was a bit young to be the current leader of her team, but she had potential, Ryan could see that. They still needed to work some things out, though - this joint leadership had been working so far, but if they wanted it to continue that way, they'd need to decide their future course of action.

__

Afterwards, we need to talk, Ryan sent silently. Hal looked sharply at him, unused to having telepaths in her head, then nodded slowly in agreement. 

__

Okay, she replied. The uneasiness she felt at having someone in her head was clear in her voice, but she remained emotionless on the outside. Like the rest of her team, she was clearly used to not showing any possible weakness, and to Ryan, that didn't come as a surprise. Yes, their two teams seemed able to cooperate for the time being, but it would be a big mistake to forget that the Guardians and the Shadow Alliance were fundamentally different.

"Ryan?" 

Ryan looked away from Hal and focused on West instead.

"We're not just going to leave them there, are we?" the boy continued. "I mean, Kyle and Suzuka are our teammates - we have to help them."

"And we will," Ryan assured him. "But until we get to Houston, I don't think I'll be able to find their exact location. Right now they're too far away...I'm sorry."

"But - there has to be some way to find them, right?" Deirdre tried again. "We can't just leave them there for five days! What happens if we don't get there in time - Kyle and Suzuka wouldn't kill an innocent man."

"But Blade and Jordane would," Hal stated calmly, drawing the attention of others. "If we don't get there in five days, that senator will die, and there's no telling what will happen after that."

"How can you say that so calmly?" West demanded, although his voice wasn't nearly as harsh as during the argument in their cell. He hadn't forgotten what happened the last time Hal lost her patience.

Hal shrugged. "Because I know them," she replied. "And quite frankly I think I would have done the same thing in their situation. I'm not stupid enough to die for someone I don't even know."

"You're no better than they are," West said disgusted, but whatever else he'd planned to accuse Hal of, was cut off by Ryan.

"If you two want to argue, you can do it later," he half-snapped. "Right now we have to find out what to do."

"Is there any chance they'll be able to escape by themselves?" Ben asked, but Ryan shook his head.

"No...the military has used high-explosive collars on them. The collars will detonate if they're opened, or if the detonator is pushed," Ryan explained. "Kyle could technically freeze the collars since they aren't power-suppressive, but he wouldn't be able to keep them under control forever."

"I could probably disarm them," Daryn said, and continued a bit more hesitantly, uncomfortable by the sudden attention focused on him. "I mean - if I get close enough, it should be pretty easy."

"But do you think the military is stupid enough to actually let a bunch of teenagers wander around their pet mutants? I don't think so," Zahra replied, black eyes coming to rest on Ryan. "Let's face it - you can talk all you want, but right now there's absolutely nothing we can do. You don't know where in Houston this is supposed to take place. You don't know how many people there'll be, and you don't know what the area will look like. The best thing to do would be to get the hell out of here, and make sure to arrive before the others do."

For a moment it was silent, then Ryan sighed. Much as he hated to admit it, the dark-skinned girl was right - they needed to look logical at things, and right now the most logical thing to do would be to get some rest and then leave. 

"So we're going to waltz into town without a plan? I don't think that's a good idea," Ben pointed out.

"Do we have a choice?" Zach asked, speaking for the first time. Hal sent him a brief look, silently warning him not to get into an argument with any of the Guardians, but Zach just smirked slightly in return. 

"No," Ryan replied. "We don't." 

Zach looked at him, a bit surprised to hear the man agree with him, but didn't comment.

"Until Kyle is able to tell me something else about what's going on, there isn't much we can do," Ryan continued. "The only thing we can do is lay low and hope the city isn't swarming with FoHs." 

"And if it is?" Zahra asked.

"Then we'll do what it takes to get in and hope we don't fuck up completely." The reply came from Hal, and although Ryan didn't quite agree with the way she'd expressed it, he really couldn't argue with her. If the city was surrounded with checkpoints like New York and Chicago had been, there wasn't really anything else to do than to trick their way through.

Around the room, the others shifted uneasily, recalling all to vividly the events in Chicago, but nobody objected. Not that Ryan had expected them to - this was about getting their teammates out of a bad situation, and something like that tended to make people willing to run some pretty big risks. 

In the corner of the room, Jhonen watched silently, not really willing to draw attention to himself. Having his own teammates hate him wasn't a pleasant experience, and even with the support of his new team, it was a situation he'd prefer to avoid. 

Besides...it wasn't like he had anything to contribute to the conversation, was it?

__

Except your powers, his conscience reminded him, and Jhonen winced slightly.

His powers...

He'd been able to find Deirdre and Prue's exact location - it wasn't unlikely he'd be able to find their four missing teammates as well. But something in him objected - only Laetitia, Blade, and Jordane had known that he was the one who'd found the two Guardians in Chicago. Everybody else naturally assumed that Blade or Laetitia had been behind it, and that he, Jhonen, had merely been manipulated into coming along. If he suddenly revealed that his powers could help him track down people, it would only be a matter of time before someone realized exactly what had happened, and Jhonen didn't want to see that happen. Even his new teammates would hate him for that, wouldn't they?

But...he couldn't just leave them at the mercy of the military, could he? Blade had been willing to help him, even though they'd been on opposite teams. He and Laetitia had seen Jhonen's potential and given him every chance to explore his powers to the fullest. Unlike Ryan, they'd seen him as an equal and not some helpless, little boy, and if nothing else, he owed them his help for that. 

Jhonen took a slow breath and closed his eyes, focusing on Erik's presence as he did so. It didn't take him long to find it - it was clear to Jhonen that Erik still feared him, and that suited him just fine.

'Where are they?' Jhonen asked, not bothering with any additional explanations. Erik knew exact what he was talking about, they both knew that.

Erik glared at him, anger clear in his every motion, and Jhonen's eyes narrowed. 'Well?'

'I don't know,' the spirit replied annoyed. 'Go bug your little girlfriend instead.'

'Where. Are. They?!' Jhonen repeated, unconsciously drawing energy from the spirit word around to use against Erik. The spirit's eyes widened slightly and he took a step back, obviously remembering what Jhonen had done last time they'd come face to face.

'I don't know!' he repeated, desperation starting to creep into his voice. 'They're too far away!'

Jhonen watched him for a moment, then left the energy dissolve again. 'The moment you're able to locate them, tell it to me, understand?'

Erik nodded, still watching Jhonen warily.

'Yeah...I understand.'

Jhonen nodded and let the world around him dissolve once again. A part of his mind couldn't help but admire how easy it was - Laetitia had been right. He *could* control the spirit world, and he wholly intended to take advantage of that. He'd been forced to put up with the spirits for long enough - this was his time of glory, and he didn't intend to give that up. 

Jhonen opened his eyes and took a look at the people around him - none of them seemed to have noticed his brief trip into the spirit world, and that suited him just fine. It meant that his secret would be kept that way for a bit longer and who knew...with a little luck, Ryan would even be able to sense Kyle before Erik did. 

With half an ear Jhonen heard Ryan tell the others to get some sleep and he slowly stood up and headed to his bed, feeling strangely pleased with himself. He hadn't been able to find the four, but he'd tried, and that had to count for something. He wasn't a helpless, little kid, not anymore. 

__

No, you aren't...a soft voice whispered in his ear, the sound bringing with it an indescribable joy.

__

Laetitia!

__

Of course, Laetitia murmured softly. _Go to sleep, Jhonen. You and I have some things to discuss._

Still with a faint smile on his lips, Jhonen went to sleep, surrendering to the glowing warmth that was Laetitia's presence. 

***


	83. 14th Interlude: Trust

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: VivaGlam: Well, having the city swarm with FoHs would only make me seem predictable, and I can assure you, babe, that I am anything but that *smirk*

Archangel: Let's see...my current muses are Fortune and Vamp. What are the chances that either of the two will take pity on the poor characters? *grins*

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Italics indicate thoughts/telepathy

***

Fourteenth Interlude: Trust

***

Ryan and Hal watched as their teammates left for their rooms to get some sleep, leaving the two alone. A long moment of silence passed, then Ryan turned to Hal, voicing the thoughts that had haunted them both.

"We need to figure what to do - this joint leadership works for the time being, but the moment we start to disagree, this whole thing will come apart," he said, watching Hal carefully as he spoke. 

"Then what do you suggest?" Hal asked, looking at Ryan for the first time since the others left the room. "That if we start to disagree, you'll have the last say?" she suggested and snorted at the thought. "It wouldn't work - I know my teammates, and they wouldn't accept something like that. They can accept you as a temporary co-leader because of the situation, but don't push your luck."

"Actually, I already knew that," Ryan replied, not letting Hal's words get to him. "You don't trust me, and I'm not sure if I trust you, either. But if we want to get out of this alive, we have to work something out - starting to disagree about what to do would only make the situation worse."

"So no arguing in front of the teams," Hal summarized. "What else?"

Ryan smiled wryly at the irony of the situation - their two teams working together? Who would have thought...?

"I don't know," he admitted, forcing the amusement aside. "I've never been in a situation like this before."

The comment drew a small smile from Hal.

"Me, neither," she replied. "But I guess...I guess that if we do as you suggest and head for Houston, then we can always discuss it in further detail when we arrive. It's hard to plan anything if we don't know what we're up against."

Ryan nodded slowly, accepting the suggestion, then watched Hal for a moment. 

"Are all of them okay?" he asked, and Hal sent him a surprised look. "Your teammates," Ryan clarified. "Are they okay?"

Hal shrugged, trying to shake off the confusion she felt at his concern. They were on opposite teams - Ryan wasn't supposed to care about what happened to them. He had no reason to give a damn about any of them...then why did he?

"They're...as good as you can expect given the circumstances," she replied truthfully, since there was no reason to lie to a telepath. "Pheonix and Jhonen are taking Nike's death pretty bad, but they'll be okay, I hope." She paused, then narrowed her eyes. "Why would you care, anyway?"

"Because at the moment, we're stuck in the same bad situation," Ryan said. "Contrary to what you might think, I don't hate any of you, Hal. No, we don't agree about much, but that doesn't mean I hate you. My quarrel is with Blade, and him alone." 

"He's not as bad as you think," Hal argued, unconsciously defending her leader.

Ryan sighed softly. "He's a killer. He had Prue executed in cold blood and would do the same thing to anyone who crosses his path. How can you follow someone like that?"

"I'm not stupid," Hal snapped. "I know where a good part of Blade and Nike's money come from. But...you don't get it," she said frustrated. "He keeps us safe and off the streets, and that's a hell of a lot more than anyone else has bothered to. Yeah, him and Nike might be psychotic and insane and whatever else you might call them, but what they offered us was a lot better than living on the streets."

"It's only matter of time before something goes wrong and you get killed or arrested," Ryan pointed out. "What you and your team do is dangerous, we both know that."

"We've remained alive so far," Hal replied with a shrug. She knew that Ryan was right, but she'd thought about the same risk for a long time, and had accepted that this was how things were. 

"You shouldn't be doing this," Ryan said and shook his head. "You're eighteen - you shouldn't be dealing with this kind of life, and you shouldn't have to be responsible for the lives of your teammates."

"And then what should I do?" Hal demanded. "Live on the streets with the hookers and try to survive that way? I don't think so. And before you start to criticize my skills as a leader, then take a look at your second in command. She's *sixteen* - do you really think that she's ready to lead your team if someone kills you?"

"I wasn't criticizing you, Hal," Ryan corrected. "And things with Diana isn't like you think. If I die, she and Kyle will lead the team together. I know she won't be able to handle it alone, but she'd be able to give Kyle the support needed."

Hal frowned at the words - Ryan's voice had told her beyond any doubt that he was speaking the truth, and she found herself deeply confused at that. They weren't friends - they didn't even trust each other. Why would he want to reveal a potential weakness to her? It didn't make sense...

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked suspiciously. "You have no reason to trust me - how do you know that I won't tell Blade about everything we talked about the moment him and Jordane get free?"

"I'm telling you this because you asked," Ryan replied. "As for the other...I know that I have no guarantee that I can trust you, but I'll do it anyway. I don't like this, either, but if we want to make this thing work, we need to show some level of trust."

"I don't trust people," Hal said, watching Ryan with a hint of wariness in her eyes. 

"You can see the future through your powers, can't you?" Ryan asked. "Then look at it and tell me if you have any reason not to trust me."

"I don't see the future, only snippets," Hal corrected. "And looking a few minutes into the future won't help much."

"Try anyway," Ryan suggested. "If there's any chance it might make you feel better about trusting me, then do it."

Hal watched him for a moment, then took a slow breath and closed her eyes. The strange and not entirely pleasant feeling that accompanied any use of her powers appeared at the edges of her mind, but she suppressed it. Another slow breath, focusing on the timelines, trying to limit down the options. She focused, preparing her mind for the effects of her powers, then reached out to unlock the timelines and-

Abruptly she cut the connection, before she had the time to see anything. 

Ryan had been right. It was a matter of trust - to survive they would have to show at least some degree of trust towards each other, and using her powers this way wold only serve to prove that she didn't trust him at all.

No...like it or not, she would have to trust him, even if every part of her mind fought against it.

Hal slowly opened her eyes and found Ryan watching her carefully, clearly waiting for her reply. 

"Are you willing to trust me now?" he asked, somehow sensing that she wasn't about to take the initiative.

Hal hesitated only for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah...I am. But if you try anything, I'm gonna kick you ass, got it?"

"Got it," Ryan replied with a faint smile. "Let's get some sleep, then - I think we're going to need it."

Hal nodded, agreeing with the words. She'd learned the hard way that being on the run while sleep-deprived wasn't a good thing, and it was a lesson she wasn't very eager to learn again. Hal turned around and headed across the room, not bothering to wait for the other. She'd almost reached the door when Ryan's voice broke the silence, making her stop.

"Hal..." The girl looked over her shoulder and met Ryan's eyes questioningly. "I know you didn't use your powers."

For a moment neither moved, then Hal broke the intense stare and walked out of the room, her footsteps shattering the silence around them. Ryan waited for a moment, then smiled faintly and headed for his bed as well.

***


	84. 15th Interlude: Between Dream and Realit...

I sincerely hoped I wouldn't have to do this, but...listen, people. The review button is there for a reason. If the reason for the few reviews is that people are losing interest, then tell me, damnit! Good, bad, or ugly, I want to hear it - if nothing else, then to know if people are still reading the story.

****

Vamp: Good. Now that's over with, we have a couple of questions to answer, meaning that _you_ *points at Sorcieré* are not needed here.

Sorcieré: Hey!

****

Vamp: *Forcibly shoves Sorcieré out of the room and locks the door* Now, where were we...? Oh, yes, WritingMoose's questions. 

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Fortune: Actually, our dear writer didn't have much to say when it came to her choice of muses. She wrote a ficlet about me, and since I was rather bored at the time, I decided to stick around and make life miserable for her characters.

****

Vamp: She succeeded admirably *smirk*

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Fortune: And Vamp, here...well, he wanted to make sure that our writer treated me nicely, so he basically conned her into giving him unrestricted muse-powers. By the time she realized what had happened, it was too late to kick him out *smug grin*

****

Vamp: Food...? *smirks and lets his gaze linger on VivaGlam for just a second too long* I've always been fond of...Asian.

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Fortune: And we'd love to give you a few hints, but that wouldn't be very fair. Sufficient to say that we're on our way into the last major plot-twist, and the rest of the fic is all planned out. So we're approaching the end, I guess. 

****

Vamp: And let's just say that Sorcieré plans to have fun with the last plot-twist...

***

Fifteenth Interlude: Between Dream and Reality

***

Warm, gentle, loving...

Somehow, Jhonen had never imagined that death could be so...comforting. 

Yes, he'd seen countless other spirit worlds, but never one that greeted him with the same loving tenderness as Laetitia's. The sun had become more pleasant, adjusting its warmth to a temperature more bearable. The faint breeze played along the beach, caressing his skin, and running invisible fingers through Laetitia's long hair. 

The young woman rested on the ground, her golden skin creating a striking contrast to the whiteness of the sand, and Jhonen found himself unable to look away from her. Some part of him feared that this was still just a dream and that Laetitia would disappear and leave him forever the moment he let his eyes off her. 

"Sit down, Jhonen...let's talk," Laetitia said softly, violet eyes coming to rest on the boy. 

Jhonen nodded slowly and sat down in the sand, feeling the heat radiate through his clothes, chasing away some of the coldness in his body.

"Are you...?" he began, but trailed off, unsure of how to continue. Talking to spirits wasn't something new for him, but somehow the situation with Laetitia was like nothing he'd experienced before, and he found himself hopelessly lost when it came to even the most basic things.

"Am I okay?" Laetitia asked with a hint of amusement, and Jhonen nodded. "Yes," she continued slowly, thoughtfully, raising her head to watch the sky. "I think I am. This certainly isn't an unpleasant way to spend eternity," she noted.

Jhonen nodded and felt some of the fear in his mind diminish. He'd been afraid of what had happened to Laetitia, been afraid that she might reject him now, or that she would have hated her new situation, but clearly his fears had been unnecessary.

Laetitia fell silent, and Jhonen looked at her for a long moment, gathering his courage.

"What happened?" he asked, voicing the question he'd been wondering about since the explosion in the prison.

"An ambush," Laetitia replied and unlike so many other spirits Jhonen had met, she didn't seem to mind talking about her death. Most felt uncomfortable talking about it, some even refused to mention it, but Laetitia barely even reacted to the subject. "I was trying to find a vehicle in one of the hangars when the soldiers attacked me. I tried to get out, but more of them arrived, and I got backed into a corner. I didn't want them to get the satisfaction of capturing or killing me, so I fired at a fuel storage." Still soft, still silent, still with an almost unnatural lack of emotions.

"You killed yourself," Jhonen whispered and looked at her.

"I would have died, anyway," Laetitia dismissed. "I just chose to die on my own terms."

"Do you regret it?" Jhonen asked, almost against his will. He felt rude for questioning Laetitia like that, but something in him drove him to it. Curiosity, perhaps. The need to understand the remarkable woman in front of him, understand her the same way as she understood him.

"Should I?" Laetitia replied and looked at him. "We all die eventually. It's inevitable"

"But did it have to be so soon?" Jhonen whispered. The words were barely audible, but Laetitia heard them anyway and stood up, caressing his cheek gently. Jhonen didn't hesitate but followed her, quickly getting back on his feet.

"I'm not gone, Jhonen," she murmured and brushed her lips against his, their warm softness only adding to the truth of the words. "If you ask me to, I'll stay here as long as you want. I won't leave you, not like everybody else has."

"I don't want to be alone," Jhonen replied truthfully before returning the kiss, enjoying the feeling of her lips against his.

"And you don't have to be," Laetitia replied and drew away slowly. "I'm with you now, Jhonen. You don't have to be alone ever again, not while we're together. In a few days everything will be fine, and we can be together for good."

"A few days? What's going on?" Jhonen asked, confusion clear in his voice.

"I just need to get used to my new situation," Laetitia comforted him, her voice calm and soothing. "Then I'll be used to my new powers, and nothing will be able to keep us apart then."

Jhonen didn't reply, and Laetitia continued in the same comforting voice. "A lot of things will change soon, I promise you that. Together, we will become untouchable," she whispered and leaned closer, her warm breath against his ear sending pleasant shivers down Jhonen's spine. "You will never have to obey the whims of random spirits again, I'll make sure of that."

Jhonen nodded, accepting the words without questioning. He trusted her more than he had ever thought himself capable of, and he knew that she was telling the truth. Wonderful, understanding Laetitia who trusted him, and would stay with him until the end of the world if he asked her to...how could he possibly deny her anything?

"Just a few days?" he repeated, and he couldn't quite hide the plaintive tone in his voice.

"Just a few days," Laetitia confirmed and kissed his brow lightly. 

"I don't like loneliness," Jhonen whispered. "I'm afraid I'll lose you."

"You won't," Laetitia replied in the same quiet voice and then took a step back. Slowly, the world around them seemed to become transparent, the sand gaining an almost glass-like feel as Jhonen was slowly transported from the spirit world and back into the comfort of sleep. 

"Laetitia?" he asked, reaching out towards her, useless as it was. Already she was fading like the beach, slowly dissolving into a fragment of his mind, a surreal scene in a soon-forgotten dream.

"Laetitia..." he breathed, and the woman smiled faintly.

"Go to sleep, Jhonen," she replied, by now barely a pale shadow on an equally pale beach. "Get some rest - you have a long day ahead."

The last, faint echoes of the words disappeared with her as Jhonen finally surrendered to the real world again, feeling himself sink into the dream-filled void of sleep.

For a moment the scent of her hair lingered, caressing his senses with its gentleness. Then it slowly faded, and Jhonen fell asleep, alone once more.

***


	85. Questions Unanswered

To Ageless for the help with the writer's block. Love ya, babe ^^

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: Ageless: Doing a MST/MiST means giving a bad fic or movie the Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) treatment. In canon-MiSTings it would be making Mike and the bots comment on it, and in less canon it would be grabbing some poor, random characters and force them to do that. It's fun ^^

MissNovelist: Poor thing...well, the best advise I can give you is 'study, guess, and bluff'. Nobody can remember everything they're supposed to, so a good bluffing technique can certainly come on handy (and I have the GPA to prove it ^^)

Archangel: *smug grin* Not telling.

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Italics indicate thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Sixty-Six: Questions Unanswered

***

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Amazing how much things can change in less than a day, Kyle mused absently, leaning against the wall just outside his and Suzuka's bedroom. It was nighttime...early morning, maybe. There were no clocks of any kind, so Kyle had only his instincts to count on. Instincts that were still all too groggy thanks to the recent events.

Currently, he had no idea of where they were - only hours after his conversation with Ryan they had been sedated once again and woken up here, wherever 'here' was. Looking around him, Kyle could almost delude himself into thinking that this wasn't a cell - with two large bedrooms, a decent bathroom, and something that could only be described as a living room, the area they now found themselves in could almost be mistaken for a hotel of some kind.

Almost.

Still there were no windows, still the floor that Kyle sat on looked more than a bit prison-like, and still the door was blocked by a solid lock. 

But it was infinitely better than the cell they'd first woken up in, and Kyle wasn't about to complain about the change in locations.

The more pleasant surroundings didn't chase away the feeling of captivity, though. The constant, weak pressure from the collar served as an unpleasant reminder of their situation, and Kyle doubted that he would ever be able to ignore the feeling of metal against his neck. He reached up, trailing the collar with a hand, and suppressed a small shudder. The knowledge that this one metal band concealed enough explosives to kill him, was not a thought he wanted to linger on. Things were unpleasant enough without the equivalent of a gun to his head.

Kyle sighed softly and closed his eyes. He wanted to contact Ryan, to feel the comfort of their mental link, but he didn't want to weaken himself any further, not while the drugs were still in his system.

The faint sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts and he opened his eyes. Across the room, a small figure made its way to the couch, the dimmed lights in the room giving the person an unnaturally pale skin color.

Kyle watched silently as Jordane sat down, oblivious to the fact that she wasn't alone, and he took a moment to watch the girl.

She looked younger, somehow, and more innocent as her normal facade had partially disappeared, giving Kyle a glimpse of the young woman beneath the hard surface. No...not a young woman. A child, Kyle corrected himself. Melee was the hard, merciless woman who was Blade's partner. Jordane...Jordane was just a child, only a few years older than Suzuka. Watching her now, curled up on the couch and looking all too young for what life had offered, Kyle knew that he could never bring himself to hating her. No, he didn't agree with what she did, but he also knew that it was highly unlikely she'd ever been given a choice, not with someone like Blade around to twist her mind. 

But now that she was alone...maybe she'd be easier to talk to. Part of her facade had collapsed during Blade and Suzuka's short fight - maybe being alone would have the same effect. 

Kyle stood up slowly, deliberately giving Jordane time to notice his presence. He had no desire to see the girl pissed off, not even with his powers to defend him. Jordane looked up, eyes narrowing at the sight of Kyle, and in less than a heartbeat her facade was back up, strong as ever.

"What are *you* doing here?" she demanded, eyes following his every move. 

"I couldn't sleep," Kyle replied, casually walking closer. Jordane didn't move, and Kyle sat down in one of the chairs, watching the other closely. "What about you?"

For a long moment Jordane was silent, then she shrugged a bit uncomfortably. "Same thing, I guess...this place gives me the creeps."

Kyle didn't reply, but merely nodded, understanding exactly how she felt. No matter how normal this place appeared, there was still something unnerving about it, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Whatever it was, though, there was nothing they could do about it - only do as they were told and hope to get a chance to escape.

"Where's Twilight?" Jordane asked, interrupting Kyle's train of thoughts.

"Asleep," Kyle replied, watching Jordane for a moment. "Why?"

The girl shrugged, but didn't offer any explanation to the question. It was, however, clear to Kyle that she hadn't asked out of courtesy or concern. If anything, her voice had sounded almost suspicious.

"You don't trust her," Kyle noted. That much was obvious, of course, but it just might be able to get Jordane to explain what was going on.

"I don't trust you either of you," Jordane corrected, a vague annoyance shining through.

"And we don't trust you," Kyle replied. "But you don't see me think the worst just because I don't know where Blade is. What did Suzuka do to make you this worried?"

"I'm not worried," Jordane snapped in the typical reaction of an angry teenager. "And Suzuka tried to kill us, remember?"

__

Kill them? Kyle frowned. _What is she---the motel. The motel where they captured Suzuka,_ he realized, a small chill following the words at the thought of Suzuka's ordeal.

"She didn't try to kill you," Kyle objected, trying to defend Suzuka, even though he knew it would be useless. "All she wanted was to find out where you were going so we could avoid another fight."

"And she just *had* to turn into a poisonous snake to do that, huh!?" Jordane bit out. "She was in our *room*! She could have killed us!"

"She wouldn't have done that!" Kyle bit back, his patience starting to wear thin. It was too early and he was too tired to deal with Jordane's accusations. "We're not killers - we don't murder people in their sleep."

"I won't trust her," Jordane stated again, the teenage anger partially replaced by the colder, more suspicious attitude of someone years older.

Kyle sighed and could feel the beginning of a headache at the edges of his mind. He was in no mood for arguing and would quite frankly prefer to go back to sleep, but this was one argument that needed to be handled without Suzuka around. Jordane would be hard enough to talk some sense into - with Suzuka around it would have been impossible.

"You have to," he replied. "Because quite frankly, none of us have a choice. Do you think we like this any more than you do? Do you think I *like* the fact that I'm all but putting my life in Blade's hands?"

"I'd be more worried about Suzuka if I were you," Jordane half-growled, angry at Kyle's words. "Her stupid sense of honor is going to get us all killed. With the way she keeps arguing, it's only a matter of time before she tries something stupid." 

"Suzuka knows what's at stake," Kyle disagreed. "And she's too smart to do something like that. She might argue, but she's not suicidal."

"How do you know?" Jordane demanded. "Have you ever been in a situation like this before? How do you know she won't snap under the pressure?"

"I could ask the same thing about you," Kyle retorted. "How do we know that you won't suddenly snap and go berserk?"

"Because I won't," Jordane snapped. The anger was clear in her eyes, but Kyle wasn't too worried - as far as he knew, it would take more than this to make Melee's patience snap and if it did, he would still have his powers to offer him some sort of protection.

"But how do we know?" Kyle asked, echoing Jordane's words. "Have *you* ever been in a situation like this before?" He paused momentarily and watched Jordane for a long moment, carefully picking his words. "Or maybe you have - knowing your team, I wouldn't be surprised if something like this has happened before."

The words were calm, collected, but the biting tone was impossible to miss. Kyle had spent two years on the streets when he was only a teenager - he'd learned exactly what to say to people to get the reaction he desired. Living with the Guardians, it was something he rarely used, but now, trapped with Blade and Jordane, it might very well be his only way of finding out exactly what kind of people he was dealing with.

And right now, that was his top priority - if he had to work with them, he wanted to know as much as possible about them, and Jordane would be the best way to get that information. 

"You don't know what you're talking about," Jordane snapped, and Kyle knew he'd hit a sore spot.

"I don't?" he repeated. "Come on - don't tell me that what you and your teammates do isn't dangerous, because we both know it is."

Jordane didn't reply and Kyle continued, this time with a softer, more understanding voice. 

"Why do you do it, Jordane? You're nineteen - why would you risk your life again and again like this?" he asked, watching the girl carefully for any reaction to the words. "For Blade's sake? It's only a matter of time before something goes wrong, you know that."

"Shut up!" Jordane ordered sharply, eyes glaring at Kyle. "It's not like that! He keeps us safe - he'd never ask any of us to do something we didn't want to do."

"Keeps you safe?" Kyle repeated. "By putting *teenagers* in potentially deadly situations? That's not exactly what I would call 'safe'. You've already lost Laetitia - sooner or later, you'll lose someone else."

"Well, we've managed to stay alive so far, haven't we?" Jordane snapped. "And do you think you're any better? Walking around with delusions of some grand world where humans and mutants can live together peacefully? You have no idea of what the real world is like."

"I lived on the streets for two years," Kyle stated, cutting neatly through the argument. "I know very well what the real world is like. But I also agree with Ryan - mankind isn't evil by nature. The problem is the people who have the real power."

Jordane snorted. 

"So you've seen the worst mankind has to offer, and you still think that Ryan is right and that they're willing to accept us? How can you follow someone like him? He has no idea of what real life is like."

"How can you follow someone like Blade?" Kyle challenged, tossing back Jordane's question. "You know what he is, what he's done - how can you follow someone like that?"

"Because..." Jordane trailed off, all fight in her body suddenly gone. She wasn't used to people questioning her like that, wasn't used to anyone besides Blade who wasn't afraid of angering her, and she found herself deeply confused about the whole situation.

"Why, Jordane?" Kyle repeated softly, encouraging her to continue. He didn't at all like what he'd just done - confusing and even manipulating a teenage girl - but it could very well be a matter of his and Suzuka's survival. They had to know what they were up against, had to know if Blade and Melee would pose a real threat to them in a situation like this, and for that reason alone he would have to forget about his guilt and conscience, at least for a short while. 

Jordane sighed, then looked up, and for a moment Kyle could have sworn that he saw someone younger, more vulnerable in the dim lights. "He keeps me safe," she replied quietly. "He cares about me."

The look on the girl's face left no doubt about the truth of the words, and of all the possible replies, this was the last one Kyle had expected to hear. To hear Jordane, of all people, talk like that...Kyle shook his head imperceptibly to clear his mind. Jordane wasn't the only one feeling confused tonight. 

"Jordane," he said softly, for the first time that night speaking solely out of concern for her. No matter how much Jordane seemed to believe in Blade, Kyle wasn't convinced. "How can you be sure he's telling the truth? That man is-"

The sound of footsteps interrupted Kyle and as he turned around he found Blade watching him coolly. "Is what?" he asked, prompting Kyle to continue. 

For a moment it was silent as the two men stared at each other, both of them unwilling to look away, then Jordane got up, deliberately putting herself between the two. Some of the dizziness she'd felt earlier returned, making her lightheaded, and she took a step towards Blade, close enough to lean against him.

"Blade," she sighed and felt one of his arms wrap around her waist, a hint of possessiveness in the motion. 

Blade sent Kyle a dark glare, silently warning him to mind his own business, then turned his attention to the girl in his arms. 

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, watching Jordane carefully. "You look pale."

"I feel a bit groggy, but I think it's the drugs," Jordane whispered. "It took a while before they were completely gone last time, too."

Blade nodded slowly. "Probably, yeah." He sighed, then motioned towards their bedroom. "Get some sleep, Jordane. You need it."

Jordane nodded and walked over to the bedroom, towards the rest her body yearned for. Blade waited for a moment, then sent Kyle another glare and followed Jordane into the bedroom, purposefully shutting the door behind them.

Kyle watched the closed door for a moment, his still-groggy mind slowly catching up with the conversation. The distrust, the argument, Jordane's admission, Blade's downright possessive behavior around the girl...

Kyle sighed and sat down on the couch, the thoughts still circling his mind and chasing away the last, faint hope for sleep.

This was going to be a long day.

***


	86. Coronation

Yes, I know this chapter focuses almost solely on Jhonen, but I promise, the rest of there characters will get their time in the spot light (and yes, that includes the new ones). Contrary to common belief, I *do* know what I'm doing ^^

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: Ageless: It's a bit like lab rats - if they do something right, they're rewarded *wry smile*. They agreed to co-operate, so they're treated a bit better than normal prisoners would. 

Maxwell Dark: 'Dysfunctional'? I think that's a damn good description of them ^^ 

Archangel: Vamp? *growls at smirking muse* If he had it his way, half the characters would have been killed off by now. *smirk* Good thing Fortune's there to stop him. 

Alikat: Thank you ^^

Rascal: Well...how would you feel if you woke up face to face with a poisonous snake? *g*

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Italics indicate thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Sixty-Seven: Coronation

***

The next couple of days after the talk with Laetitia, felt like a blur of sleep and awake to Jhonen. He talked to his teammates, he reacted when someone spoke to him, he kept an eye on the surrounding, but everything he did still had a touch of detachment, like his body was there, but his mind was miles away. He remembered the drive, the motels, the landscape around him, but the memories were vague and dreamlike, with only a few details shining through. It felt like he was half-asleep the whole time, and try as he might, he couldn't quite get rid of the strange tiredness. 

Maybe it was because Laetitia had left - he wasn't sure, but it was a possibility. Grief, maybe? The mourning he hadn't allowed himself to show? 

Jhonen shook his head, once again trying to clear his mind. He succeeded for a moment, but knew by now that it wouldn't last. Trying to force his mind back into action, he focused on the people around him, listening with a faint detachment as they spoke. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hal watch him for a moment, then look away. It was no big surprise - he'd noticed her worried looks more than once within the past few days, and she'd repeatedly asked him if anything was wrong, but he had dismissed the questions with a small shrug. Even *he* didn't know what was going on - how could he possibly explain it to her? 

Jhonen let his eyes wander across the room almost carelessly, hesitating only briefly as they fell on his former teammates. There had been no arguments, no accusations so far, but Jhonen knew that it wasn't because they'd chosen to forgive and forget. The only reason why nobody had confronted him about his defection yet, was because everyone was very well aware that this whole truce was resting on a very unsteady foundation. As long as nobody got into any serious arguments, the hostility would remain buried. 

That didn't mean he couldn't feel their disapproval, though - instead of arguing, they mostly ignored him. The few times he'd talked with one of them, it had been a brief, awkward conversation that both parties had been happy to finish. Sometimes he felt a small tingle at the back of his neck as one of them watched him, but he reacted the same way as they did - by doing his best to ignore them. 

And really, what was left to say? There were arguments to have, frustration and anger to be let out, but when it all came down to it, there was nothing left to say. He wasn't about to apologize, and as far as he could see, they weren't about to forgive. 

Jhonen sighed inaudibly, once again wishing that Laetitia were there with him. He liked and respected his new team, but without Laetitia, it felt strangely...empty. She had understood him like no other, and without her, he couldn't help but feel isolated. Hal and the others...they were a team. They'd been through some bad situations together, and come out stronger for it. And even though Jhonen knew that they had already accepted him as one of their own, he still felt a bit like the outsider. 

Forcing away the dark thoughts, Jhonen looked to Ryan, watching his former leader. It had been only hours since they had arrived at their current motel, located in one of the less attractive areas of Houston. Surprisingly, there had been no FoHs around the town and no policemen guarding the road...well, at least no more than usual. Maybe luck had finally turned to their favor.

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Or maybe it's just a trap, his more paranoid side whispered, having gained considerable strength since he joined the Shadow Alliance. He couldn't help it - the constant state of alert he'd seen in his teammates was starting to rub off on him as well, even if he wasn't consciously aware of it.

Ignoring the voice, Jhonen continued to watch Ryan who was talking quietly with Ben. Now that they had arrived in Houston, the telepath had been able to pinpoint Kyle's location to a large military compound west of the city, but it had quickly become clear that this new information wouldn't help much. Sure, they had argued - some had wanted to challenge the almost impossible odds and go after the four, others had warned of the dangers, said that rushing in like that would only get them killed...and meanwhile Jhonen had listened silently, waiting for the decision he knew would come. They couldn't run the risk, not when they were up against an entire military base, and sooner or later they would realize that. They would have to wait and watch and search for a moment of opportunity, and when Ryan and Hal had finally made that decision, Jhonen hadn't been surprised. 

Despite the anger he still felt towards Ryan, he knew that the man was a good leader, and good leaders would do what was best for their team, no matter how much it pained them.

And maybe that was part of the reason for the tense atmosphere as well, he mused. None of them liked the thought of their teammates in enemy hands, and the fact that they were powerless to help the four was something they liked even less.

As expected, the tiredness slowly returned, once again engulfing Jhonen's mind in its heavy blanket. This time, however, something had changed - amidst the tenseness, the quiet talking, and the sound from the street outside, there was the faintest whisper of a word.

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Jhonen...

Jhonen tensed imperceptibly, hiding the rush of excitement beneath a facade of casual indifference.

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Laetitia? he asked, his voice almost plaintive. Only now did he truly realize how much he had missed her, and he desperately hoped that this was real, and not just an illusion of his clouded mind. 

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Yes.

Soft and caressing, tinted with a characteristic accent, and accompanied by the faint scent of her hair - Jhonen felt his mind and body wake up, shaking off the tiredness of the past few days. He stood up slowly, careful not to act out of the ordinary. Why, he wasn't sure - after all, they knew that he had already talked to Laetitia once. But something in him wanted to keep this a secret - *he* was the one who could talk to her, not them. He was the one she cared about, and he wasn't about to share that with anyone else.

The motion caught Hal's attention and she looked up, a hint of concern on her face. "Jhonen?" 

Jhonen shook his head. "I think I'll go get some sleep," he lied easily, feeling only a small pang of guilt from lying to his teammate. "I'm tired."

Hal nodded, not looking entirely convinced, but she didn't question him further. Silently, Jhonen walked out of the room, ignoring the few, brief looks he got on the way. They didn't matter, only the comfort of Laetitia's presence did. 

Jhonen stepped into one of the bedroom and closed the door behind him before he lay down on one of the beds, focusing on the whisper in his mind.

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Laetitia? he asked again, mentally searching for some trace of her.

__

Yes...I'm here, she murmured, her voice growing every stronger until she sounded every bit as alive as a living person, and Jhonen felt his grief return at the thought.

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Don't be sad, Laetitia whispered, invisible hands gently caressing his cheeks. _I'm not gone, Jhonen._

Jhonen didn't reply, but allowed himself to be transported to the spirit world, using her presence to guide him. He felt the ground form beneath his feet, then the faint brush of cool air against his face, and as his eyes snapped open he realized that this was definitely not Laetitia's beach.

Jhonen instinctively took a small step back in surprise, then stopped as he saw Laetitia materialize in front of him, looking every bit as striking as he remembered.

"What are we doing here?" he asked, indicating the world that he had long ago learned to recognize as Erik's. The endless dark lake was there, along with the tall pine trees and the ominous sky...only Erik himself was not present, but considering the recent events, Jhonen wasn't surprised. 

Laetitia smiled faintly and stepped closer, one delicate hand caressing his cheek.

"We have something to take care of, Jhonen," she replied softly, her voice clear across the landscape. 

Jhonen frowned, confused at her words.

"What do you mean?" he asked, prompting her to continue. "What happened - where did you go? You-"

Still smiling faintly, Laetitia reached out and rested a finger on his lips, and Jhonen fell silent. 

"Do you remember what I told you, Jhonen?" she asked, watching him with an unnerving intensity. 

"Sure..." Jhonen trailed off, then continued as Laetitia arched an eyebrow. "You said that you needed to learn about your new power."

Laetitia caressed his cheek lightly again, then reached out and brushed her lips against his, kissing him gently. 

"And what else did I tell you?" she asked after breaking the kiss.

"That nothing would be able to keep us apart again," Jhonen replied, confused as to what she was getting at. Her behavior was puzzling, to say the least. He knew that she had a point with all of this, that every motion and every word was quite deliberate, but he had no idea of what it was. 

"And that's what we're here to make sure of," Laetitia explained, still in the soft voice. 

"What do you mean?" Jhonen asked, frowning.

Another faint, secretive smile from Laetitia and she kissed him again briefly.

"I know how you feel about this place, Jhonen," she mumbled, reaching out to caress his hand. "I know how you feel about the spirits in your head, how you feel about always having to listen to them, whether you want to or not. We found a way to control them, but Erik is still resisting, isn't he?" she asked, her voice by now almost hypnotic. 

"You know he does," Jhonen whispered. 

Laetitia reached out, fingers trailing his neck slowly until one hand finally came to rest on his chest. Brown eyes met violet, and Laetitia knew that at that moment, he would have done anything she asked him to.

"I can make it stop, Jhonen," she whispered. "If you'll let me, I can teach you how to make him go away for good."

"What do you mean?" Jhonen asked, a hint of hope shining through. If she was serious...

"What I mean is that I've learned a lot of things in the past few days," Laetitia told him. "And I know that with our combined powers, we'll be strong enough to make him disappear. You don't have to be powerless, Jhonen, not anymore."

"Wait...what do you mean, 'disappear'?" Jhonen asked. "You mean kick him out of my mind, or-"

"I mean kill him," Laetitia whispered, crossing the last barrier that was left between her and Jhonen. Up until now, she'd never actually spoken that way to him - during the incident with Prue, she'd talked about revenge, but never murder. Before, the boy wouldn't have agreed to something like that - now, though, there was no such limitation left. "We can make his spirit vanish for good, and he'll never be able to bother you again."

Jhonen's eyes widened in surprise, but as expected there was only a glint of hope in the eyes, and none of the denial or terror she would have seen only a few weeks ago.

"Can we do that?" he asked, and the hopefulness was clear in his voice.

"Together, we can do whatever we want to," Laetitia replied, allowing a touch of satisfaction to shine though her words. "Command him here, and we'll take care of this once and for all."

There was no hesitation, no second thoughts as Jhonen focused his attention on the surroundings, searching for that one particular presence. 

"Erik!" he snapped, and felt only a brief fight for control before the spirit slowly, reluctantly, appeared about ten feet away from them. Erik eyed Laetitia warily for a second, well aware of whom she was, then turned his attention to Jhonen.

"What?" he asked annoyed, but his voice revealed the faintest hint of nervousness. 

Smirking, Laetitia rested a hand on Jhonen's shoulder, caressing it slowly, and reveling in the increasing worry she felt in Erik. Jhonen sent her brief look, silently asking what to do, and Laetitia leaned closer, her lips brushing against his ear.

"Drain his strength," she whispered. "Feel him in your mind, focus on him...and drain his life force. Without that, he will cease to exist." 

Careful, Jhonen focused on Erik, mental fingers brushing against the presence, testing his strength. With a strange detachment he saw Erik's eyes narrow, then the dawning panic as the spirit realized what was happening. 

"Get the hell away from me!" he snapped, then narrowed his eyes at one of the pine trees, bringing down the giant with only the strength of his anger. 

Almost amused, Laetitia watched the tree fall with a slow grace, the sound of breaking wood growing increasingly stronger, until she deflected it with barely a thought. She could feel that her powers were strengthen by Jhonen's support, and using that support as extra leverage, her mind took a solid grip in Erik and slammed him into one of the large rocks. 

She watched for a moment as the spirit slowly and painfully tried to get back on its legs, then turned her attention to Jhonen.

"Now!" she ordered, and heard the scream as Jhonen dug deep into Erik's presence, slowly taking away its strength. 

Erik lashed out again, but he was already too drained to do much, and the small bullet-like rocks that tore through the air, feel to the ground without any help from Laetitia. 

"What the hell are you doing?!" Erik demanded, although all three of them knew exactly what was going on. 

Not bothering with a reply, Laetitia smirked faintly, never taking her eyes off Erik. The first hints of transparency could be seen at his fingertip, and Laetitia knew that she'd succeeded. She waited for a moment, until she was sure that Erik was too weakened to do anything, then turned her attention to Jhonen again.

"Kill him," she whispered softly, fingers tracing his shoulders as she spoke. "Finish it, Jhonen. Now."

Jhonen didn't hesitate, didn't even flinch at the words, but merely dug deeper into Erik's presence, draining his strength with an ever-increasing speed. He was vaguely aware of Laetitia's presence, of her hands on his shoulders, of Erik's screams, but it all faded in comparison to the sudden strength that rushed through his body. 

For a brief second he felt the energy from Erik fill him completely, the hum of sheer power joining with the screams of rage and pain, with Laetitia's caresses, until his head started to spin from the sensory overload, until his body felt like it was made from pure energy and-

"Open your eyes."

Softly whispered words, and Jhonen opened his eyes, unaware that he'd even closed them to begin with. He found Laetitia watching him carefully, an odd satisfaction visible in her eyes.

"What...?" Jhonen looked around, confusing kicking in as he found himself and Laetitia standing in a vast space. Gone were the trees, the lake, the dark, heavy clouds - even the ground below them.

"Can you feel him?" Laetitia asked, although she already knew the answer. 

For a moment Jhonen closed his eyes, focusing on the presence he'd learned to recognize so well, then slowly opened his eyes.

"He's-"

"-Gone," Laetitia finished, her voice calm and soothing and almost proud. "I promised you that we would be unstoppable together, didn't I?"

Jhonen nodded slowly and let his eyes survey the empty space, only now beginning to come to terms with what had happened. 

Erik was gone. 

...And Jhonen was the one who had killed him.

***


	87. Rising Force

*amused* What happened to Jhonen? Laetitia - that's what happened ^^ Didn't I tell you guys that the fic would turn dark? *grins*

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

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Italics indicate thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Rising Force

***

Kyle had always hated waiting.

It wasn't that he was an impatient person by nature - in fact, he could be called quite the opposite - in was just that the whole idea of uncertainty did not sit well with him. He wanted to know what went on around him, and not just sit still and wait for a death that might or might not come. If he had to be in danger, he wanted to see it coming and give himself a fair chance to fight back. 

No, he did not like waiting at all. Especially not when it turned out that his three cellmates were even more annoyed with the situation than he was, and really didn't bother to hide it.

It had been a long, sleepless morning, left alone to his thoughts as he'd been. Long and very unpleasant as every depressing thought, every cynical doubt, and every possible outcome of this situation - each one worse than its predecessor - replayed in his mind until he was ready to scream. He knew that the humans were still hiding something - it didn't take four people to shoot someone. Any of the soldiers they'd seen would have been able to handle something like that, and that fact only added to Kyle's uneasiness. 

Why them? Why like this? Why go through the trouble of capturing and blackmailing four mutant just go have them shoot someone? The speculations kept running through his mind, but still he came no closer to figuring out what was going on.

Then Suzuka had appeared, followed shortly after by Blade and Jordane, and the tension in the room had increased to something near unbearable levels. 

All things considered, it really wasn't surprising that Kyle felt almost relieved when the door to the room was finally opened. Whatever awaited them - and his mind could think up some pretty creative ideas - it couldn't really get much worse than it already was. 

Of course, Murphy's Law was about to prove otherwise. 

***

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Déjà-vu.

That word was the first thing that crossed Kyle's mind as they stepped into the briefing room, and not without reason. The room was all but identical to the one they had first been in when they had been told about their...'job'. The similarities were unnerving to say the least - from the wide screens on the wall and down to even the small details like the chairs and the stack of files on the table.

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Probably on purpose, Kyle realized. _Reminding us of the first briefing and the situation we're in._

It worked, too. The memories of the first few hours after they'd woken up were still clear in his mind, and the collar around his throat seemed to tighten for just a second, making him all too aware of its presence. 

Sanders looked up as the door was opened and watched silently as they crossed the room, his body language revealing nothing but the confidence that's only possible when you have a dozen soldiers ready to back up your words with firearms if needed be. 

Another moment of silence passed as the four sat down, none of them particular eager to get into a discussion at the moment - the effect from the drugs still lingered, not quite as bad as earlier, but still impossible to ignore.

Realizing that the four mutants were not about to break the heavy silence, Sanders decided to do so himself. 

"I'm sure you've been wondering exactly what is supposed to happen, and why we went through all the trouble to capture you," he began, eyes slowly surveying the four. "And I assume you want an explanation."

"Well, that would be nice," Suzuka mumbled, her voice low, but her words biting. 

Sanders sent her a brief, disinterested look, but otherwise ignored her comment, the gesture only adding to Suzuka's anger. She clenched her fists tightly, and felt Kyle's hand close around her own in an attempt to calm her down. She took a slow breath, then sent Kyle a small, thankful smile. Kyle smiled faintly in return, but the smile faded to a deliberately indifferent look as Sanders' eyes came to rest on the two. The man arched an eyebrow, but Kyle met his gaze without blinking, the hint of a challenge in the gesture.

Sanders smirked faintly, confidently, then continued, his eyes sweeping across the four.

"As you might have guessed, we didn't pick you randomly," he explained, one hand resting on the stack of files on the table. "We picked some of you because of your mutations...and some of you because of your unique skills. It was also not a coincidence that you ended up in the same cell." He paused momentarily. "In case you haven't realized this yet, the rest of the world thinks you're dead. We have surveillance tapes showing the four of you entering one of the hangars only minutes before it explodes, killing everyone inside...you included. No one knows you're here, and no one knows you're alive, meaning that your future survival depends entirely on me."

He stopping, giving them a chance to understand the implications of what he'd just said. He had long ago learned that something like that was vital - if they believed that they still had a chance of getting rescued, however small it might be, it would make it significantly harder to get them to co-operate, and time was the one thing they didn't have.

"Why go through that much trouble just to have one man killed?" Blade asked coldly, eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion.

Sanders smirked faintly, having already anticipated the question. "Because we want it to happen live on national TV."

The reply took the mutants aback and stunned them for a moment. He couldn't be serious...could he?

"What?!" Suzuka demanded. Her anger was obvious, and only Kyle's hand on hers prevented her from losing all self-control. Not that he could blame her - he himself felt much the same way.

"You think we went through all this trouble to pick the right people for no reason?" Sanders asked, not bothering to wait for a reply. "If we could have taken Senator Ross out ourselves, we would have done so. Unfortunately, having an anti-mutant government can be a liability at times," he continued, a brief look of distaste on his face.

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Yeah - if he suddenly got killed by a lone gunman, it would be a little *too* convenient, Kyle added silently, feeling his worry grow increasingly stronger. What exactly, did they want them to do, anyway?

"So, we needed to find something that could take care of that little problem," Sanders continued, the usual confidence returning to his voice. "I believe you're all familiar with the term 'hostage'?"

Kyle felt a ripple of shock through his body, and out of the corner of his eyes he saw Blade narrow his eyes, even he taken by surprise by the almost casual question.

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He can't be talking about-

Kyle thoughts were interrupted as Sanders continued, eyes firmly fixed on the four. "It's simple, really - get inside the conference room, take over the place, use your powers in front of the cameras, and kill the senator."

"You can't-" Suzuka began, but Blade interrupted her before she could get any further.

"And what about us?" he asked coldly. "As you explained it, it's a lose-lose situation for us. Either we die here, or get gunned down in that building - why should we bother if we're going to die, anyway?

Sanders turned his attention to Blade, watching him for a second before replying. "The soldiers who are called in to handle it will be using sedatives instead of bullets. Once they have gotten you four out of the area, the collars will be removed and you will be free to leave."

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Sedatives? Liar, Kyle thought disgusted. _You'll let them kill us, and take the credit for getting rid of four dangerous mutants._

He exchanged a quick look with the other three, and it became clear that they were all thinking along the same lines - this was a lose-lose situation, but what choice did they have? If they said no, they would die. If they agreed...then at least there was the chance that Ryan and the others could get to them before time ran out.

The four exchanged another look, and with an understanding caused only by the extremeness of the situation, they silently agree on a decision. Even Suzuka, much as she hated to admit it, knew that they didn't have a choice - dying now was stupid if there was still the chance that their two groups would be able to save them. 

"If you want us to do this, we'll need equipment," Blade said slowly, finally breaking the silence. 

Sanders nodded. "As expected. Weapons, blueprints - whatever you need." He paused for a moment, eyes narrowing. "But try not to do anything stupid. Those collars will remain where they are, and the moment you start to deviate from the plan, I *will* push the detonator."

"How do we know you won't do that, anyway?" Jordane challenged, speaking for the first time since the pseudo-briefing had started. 

Sanders smirked faintly. "You'll just have to trust me," he replied, a hint of cold amusement in his words.

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Like we have a choice, Kyle thought darkly, but kept the observation to himself. 

His point made, Sanders nodded to one of soldiers, a silent order to get the prisoners back to their cell. The soldier motioned toward his men, and Kyle and the others slowly got up, not really having much of a choice. Followed by the soldiers, the four crossed the room but were stopped by Sanders' words as they reached the door.

"You'll get the equipment today," he told them dismissively. "Rest. You will need it." 

With that, the soldiers followed them out in the gray hallways, the door closing behind them with finality.

***


	88. Desperate Times

Short chapter, sorry. There's a lot more homework in college than I'm used to *amused*

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

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Italics indicate thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Desperate Times

***

It didn't take long for Ryan to realize that something was wrong. The moment he contacted Kyle, it became clear that something had changed - along with his friend's usual calm, composed presence, there was also a lingering sense of shock, anger, and worry, leaving a bitter taste in Ryan's mouth. 

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Kyle... he wasn't quite able to hide his concern, the words carrying a hint of the fear he felt for his longtime friend.

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Ryan. Faint surprise followed the words as Kyle was torn out of his dark musing about their less-than-pleasant situation. Surprise, then relief as he let the comforting presence of his friend chase out some of the depressing thoughts that lingered in his mind.

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What happened? Ryan asked, frowning slightly.

Kyle hesitated for a moment before he replied, a gesture that only served to add to Ryan's worry. _We found out what they wanted us to do,_ he replied, his words strangely calm compared to the dark emotions Ryan had picked up from him. Ryan didn't reply, sensing that Kyle needed a moment to gather his thoughts, and a few, brief seconds of silence passed between them before Kyle continued.

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They want to make mutants looks bad, probably to justify what the government is doing. To accomplish that, they want us to kill Senator Ross on national TV. Still calm, still with barely suppressed emotions behind the words, still adding to Ryan's worry. 

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How...? he asked, almost afraid of the answer. 

Another paused before Kyle answered.

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They want us to take over the conference room, hold the reporters hostage, and execute Ross in front of the cameras. And of course, to make sure that there's no doubt about what we are, we've been ordered to use our powers onscreen as well, Kyle added, a hint of bitterness shining through the words. _They claim that the soldiers called in to 'handle it' will be using sedatives, but we all know it's a lie._

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Oh, God... Ryan breathed softly, appealing to a deity he had all but forgotten during his time on the streets.

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Yeah, a hint of bitterness, of anger, and but still far calmer than most other people would have reacted in his situation. 

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How much have they told you? Ryan asked, switching to the more logical side of his mind, hoping to find some way to help his friend.

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Not much...what I told you, that's all, Kyle sighed. _They'll give us weapons, blueprints of the building, whatever we need, but the collars stay on._

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Which rules out a possible escape on your own, Ryan concluded, and was met by a nod from Kyle.

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Since there's no way we can open the collars without killing ourselves...yeah, he admitted.

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But there must be something we can do... Ryan trailed off, unsure of what to say. Because there wasn't really anything they could do at the moment, was there? He knew where Kyle and the others were, but even with the united strength of both teams, attacking a military compound of that size would be suicide. That left only one option - the one that Ryan desperately wanted to avoid.

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No...we've tried to think up something, but...Kyle trailed off, the meaning clear. He paused for a moment, then continued. _There's one more thing...unless we find some way out of this, Blade and Melee intend to through with the plan._

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What? They can't - he's pro-mutant! Ryan objected, but even as he spoke the words, he knew that there was very little they could do to prevent it. If those two had already decided to do this...

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They don't care, and they've made that quite clear, Kyle sighed, confirming Ryan's fears.

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Damn...

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Yeah, Kyle agreed silently, then paused for a moment. _What do we do now?_

Ryan sighed. _I don't know...I really don't know. A direct attack is out of the question...it would be suicide._

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Then what if we wait until after the thing has been put into motion? Kyle suggested. _We know where it's going to take place...if you and the others can somehow find a way to be inside the conference room when it happens, then..._ he trailed off, disappointed. _But that won't work as long as we're wearing these collars._

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Daryn could handle that, Ryan commented and, noticing Kyle's confusion, added, _he's one of the new ones - we met two young mutants while we escaped. One of them, Daryn, can communicate with electronic equipment._

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It *could* work, then, Kyle remarked, a faint hope entering his voice. _If you're already there when we arrive, then Daryn can deactivate the collars and cameras._

There was nothing of the hope Kyle had expected from Ryan, just a lingering sadness, and he frowned. _What's wrong?_

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Daryn...I asked him about his powers. He has to touch whatever it is he's trying to communicate with. There's going to be dozens of cameras in that room...he won't be able to disable them all, Ryan said quietly. _I'm sorry._

Kyle frowned, his mindset switching to fit this new piece of information into the complex puzzle that made up their situation.

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Then...let's go with that plan, anyway, he said slowly. _We'll make sure to get close to Daryn at various times so he can deactivate the collars._

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And what about the cameras? Ryan reminded him. _It's going to be transmitted live to entire nation. If you do this..._ he trailed off. There was no need to finish the sentence - they both knew what the consequences would be.

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We don't have a choice...it's the only option left.

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You're going to be wanted criminal for that, Ryan reminded him softly, concern for his friend shining through, accompanied by the almost paternal feelings he held for Suzuka. 

Kyle shook his head. _Thanks to the military, we're going to be that, anyway. Those files they have on us...they're going to end up with the police whether we do this or not._

Ryan nodded, not bothering to disagree. They both knew that he was right, and any arguments would only be a waste of time.

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It isn't going to be easy - there'll be security personal outside, not to mention bodyguards in the room itself. Even getting inside the room will be difficult, Ryan pointed out. _And you and Suzuka haven't exactly had any experience with situations like this._

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Maybe it was about time we got that, then, Kyle said quietly, his voice far more serious than Ryan's last comment had been.

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It's dangerous, Ryan pointed out with a frown.

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We don't have a choice, Kyle replied. _There are no other options left._

A moment passed, then Ryan sighed quietly. _It's just...I don't want to see you hurt,_ he admitted, the mindlink revealing some of the emotions that Ryan so often kept well-hidden behind a mental shield and the careful facade he'd created over the years.

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And it won't happen, Kyle promised, conviction behind his words. Not because he believed they would get safely out of this, far from, but because that was what Ryan needed to hear, and Kyle knew that.

Right now both of their teams needed a capable leader, and Ryan would be the best person for that job. But doing a good job would be a lot harder if he had to deal with Kyle's fears and worries as well. Nobody could stand alone, and just like Ryan took care of the teams, Kyle would take care of Ryan - that was how it had worked for years, and it was something they were both happy with. Kyle had no desire to lead. It was a responsibility he didn't want, and which he liked to think was handled far better by Ryan. Instead he would support Ryan when needed be, and now was one of those times. 

Ryan shook his head. _I still think it's a bad idea...with Blade and Melee involved, something is bound to go wrong._

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Actually, I don't think so, Kyle corrected thoughtfully. _They have just as much at stake as we do, and like it or not, they're the people most likely to have experience with something like this._

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Don't tell me you actually *trust* him, Ryan half-demanded, worry for Kyle and Suzuka making his voice sharper than he'd intended.

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I don't, Kyle replied, a hint of cynical amusement in his voice. _But we don't really have a choice._

Ryan sighed. _How's Suzuka taking this?_

A shrug. 

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As good as could be expected...she and Blade aren't on good terms, not by a long shot, but I think we can pretty much manage to keep them from killing each other at the first chance they get.

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'We'? Ryan repeated, curious.

More amusement from Kyle. _Melee and I. She didn't object when Suzuka and Blade got into a fight, but it's clear that she doesn't like it._

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And do you think he's going to care? Ryan asked skeptically. 

Kyle hesitated for a moment before replying.

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Yeah, I think so. As far as I can see, he seems to genuinely care about her. He won't try something stupid, not as long as Melee's life is on the line.

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If you're sure... Ryan replied dubiously.

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I am, Kyle repeated, and Ryan nodded. 

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All right. I trust your judgement.

Another long pause passed before Kyle broke the silence, almost hesitantly. _So what do we do? Are we going to go through with it?_

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I don't like it, Ryan repeated and shook his head. _I don't like it at all, but...we don't really have a choice._

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Ryan... Kyle's voice was soft, soothing, and Ryan sent him a curious thought. _What?_

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It's going to work. I know it, Kyle said with quiet confidence. 

Ryan just sighed. _We can only hope._

***


	89. 16th Interlude: Future Imperfect

There's a new ficlet up at sorciere.freeservers.com / journey / index.html - _Unspoken,_ a birthday present for VivaGlam. It's a missing scene from _Descend into Darkness_ and takes place a few hours after the chapter ends. 

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: anonymous: Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Ryan and Diana. At the moment I just choose to focus on another part of the plot, that's all ^^

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Sixteenth Interlude: Future Imperfect

***

Daryn sighed softly and looked up at the ceiling, his eyes following the flickering play of lights upon the surface, neon red and green blending with yellow and white, dancing around the room. He heard the soft sound of Zahra moving in the other bed in the room, and knew that she was probably still awake - they'd shared a cell in Hell's Furnace for more than a week before their sudden escape, and he'd been surprised at how lightly and how little she slept.

He felt the strange sensation of someone watching him, and he turned his head slightly, looking at Zahra. Black eyes met his own brown ones, and partially hidden by the shadows from the half-closed curtains, Zahra raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"What is it?" she asked, not harshly, but merely...curious? Curious, yeah. 

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And probably a bit suspicious, too, Daryn added silently, not without some humor. He was more or less used to Zahra's behavior by now, even different as they were. They'd both seen some bad things in their lives, they'd just picked different ways to deal with it. 

"It's nothing, really," he replied, shrugging faintly. "I was just thinking."

Still the black eyes watched him carefully, almost unnerving in their intensity, and Daryn knew that she wasn't going to let the subject lie. 

"About what?" she asked, brushing a lock of frizzy, black hair out of her face, trying to bring it back to some semblance of order, and pretty much failing. 

Daryn sighed softly and sat up in the bed, gathering the blankets around him. As expected, Zahra was not about to let the subject go, and he might as well get comfortable. 

"About...stuff. The guys, the escape...everything," he replied. "My mind's just trying to catch up with everything that's happened, I guess."

Zahra moved a bit around in the bed, trying to get comfortably, before she looked at him again. "The guys?" she repeated.

Daryn shrugged again. "I like them, the Guardians, I mean. They're..." he hesitated for a moment. "I don't know. Normal, I guess - a lot more than the people I'm used to."

"Naïve, you mean," Zahra corrected with a faint frown. "They're nice, sure, but they're too idealistic."

Daryn looked at her, not completely agreeing with her assessment of his new friends, but he was still curious about her views. They rarely agreed about anything, but she was smart, and he knew it. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, we're mutants, and so are they. They can dream about peaceful co-existence all they want, but it isn't going to happen," she replied, shaking her head slowly. "Mankind is too afraid of us to ever accept what we are."

"They have a point, though," Daryn pointed out. "If we go around, using our powers to whatever we want and acting like we own the place, they'll hate us, yes. But if we prove that not all mutants are bad, then-"

"They'll act exactly like always, and use your temporary weakness to attack you," Zahra interrupted. 

Daryn frowned at her words, not liking what he heard. "You sound like Zach."

"Zach's a smart guy," Zahra replied. "He doesn't suffer from the same bad case of naïveté as the Guardians do."

"Don't tell me you agree with the Shadow Alliance," Daryn demanded, starting to wonder a bit about his friend's sanity, not for the first time. "They're criminals."

Zahra looked at him evenly, black eyes meeting his in an obvious challenge. "Aren't we all? Don't tell me you've never done something illegal while you were on your own." Daryn didn't reply, and Zahra continued. "Go on - tell me you've never broken the law. Never done some shoplifting in a desperate attempt to get something to eat, never stolen a wallet from an unsuspecting tourist, never used your powers to help make life just a bit more bearable. Tell me." 

Daryn sighed. "It's different - I never hurt anyone." Zahra raised an eyebrow, and Daryn frowned. "Zahra, they're not that kind of criminals - they've *killed* people, don't you understand? They're dangerous!"

"A lot of people are," Zahra replied indifferently. 

"It was cold-blooded murder," Daryn snapped.

Zahra raised her head slightly, eyes narrowing. "If I remember correctly, there were four people involved in that - one of them is dead, two of them are likely to suffer the same fate within long, and the last is too insecure on his own to be of any danger."

"Ryan believes that we can get them out of there," Daryn noted, referring to the plans that have been made earlier in the day.

Zahra snorted. "Ryan's a fool. At best, we'll fail. At worst, we're all going to die."

Daryn looked at her, anger and disbelief giving way to curiosity. "Then why are you still here? Why didn't you leave when you heard the plan?"

Zahra sighed. "I've lived on the streets, okay? And I didn't have a useful power like yours to help me. I have no intentions of going out there again, not if I have a chance to avoid it." 

"So you're staying with them," Daryn concluded, real worry entering his eyes. 

"Yes. If they'll let me," Zahra replied frankly. 

"You don't know what you're getting into," Daryn said quietly. 

"And you do?" Zahra challenged.

"Ryan told me about them," Daryn replied, a bit uncomfortable. "He's known about them for a while, and from what he's heard, what they do isn't exactly safe."

"How do you know that Ryan isn't lying to you?" Still challenging, eyes still watching the other carefully.

"He's a good guy," Daryn objected.

"So are Zach and Hal," Zahra countered. "Haven't you considered looking at both sides of the story before you make up your mind?"

"I *am* looking at both sides," Daryn replied, a hint of hardness entering his eyes. "And Zach and Hal might be nice, but what about Blade and Melee? They're the leaders of your future team, and you've never even met them!"

Zahra remained silent, and Daryn took it as a sign that he was getting through to her. "Do you have any idea of what those two have done?" he said in a low voice. "They're insane - and you're going to put your life in their hands? Are you sure that *I'm* the naïve one?"

Zahra shook her head. "If we somehow manage to pull this plan off, I'll meet them. If not, it won't matter anyway. Either way, I've made my choice, and you should know by now that you can't talk me out of it."

Daryn sighed, but couldn't help the pale smile from reaching his lips. "Yeah...I know."

"Good." Zahra watched him for a moment, then sighed. "And now let's get some sleep, okay? I doubt we'll get a lot of chances of that for the next couple of days."

Daryn nodded and lay down again, pulling the blankets close around him. For a moment it was silent, then - 

"Zahra?" The girl looked across the room again, meeting his eyes. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

Zahra sent him a small, rare smile, then turned around, surrendering to sleep. Daryn watched her for a moment, then sighed softly and closed his eyes. The sound of Zahra's slow, deep breaths could be heard clearly in the quiet room, mixing with the faint hum of cars from a nearby road. 

But to Daryn himself, sleep remained elusive.

***


	90. 17th Interlude: Darkest Hour

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Seventeenth Interlude: Darkest Hour

***

The distinctive sound of metal against metal rang through the otherwise silent room as the cartridge clicked into place. Hands moved across the gun with confident movements, examining every part of the weapon, eyes narrowing in a search for any possible flaws in either metal or design. Finding none, the gun was raised and aimed experimentally at a humanoid-shaped paper target at the end of the practice course. A pause, getting used to the aim and the feel of the weapon, then a silencer was picked up and attached on the gun with carefully practiced movements. Again the gun was raised, this time followed by the soft hiss of two bullets being fired in quick succession, tearing through the thick paper.

Kyle watched silently as Blade lowered the gun again and placed it on the table, apparently satisfied with the result. A similar - untouched - gun lay on the table as well, still waiting for Kyle to pick it up. Despite what a possible spectator might think, it wasn't that Kyle afraid of guns - he wasn't particular fond of them, but he'd use one if he had to. He just wasn't in any hurry to try out their new weapons, especially not with the knowledge that there was a real risk that he might actually have to use it on someone. Instead he had settled for watching Blade practice with the guns, sizing up the man's skills. They had to work together, after all - knowing each other's skills and weakness would be a good idea. 

Finally starting to get annoyed with Kyle's look, Blade turned around, raising an eyebrow. "You *do* know how to use a gun, don't you?" he asked, part of his annoyance shining through the words.

"Of course," Kyle half-snapped in reply, his tone matching Blade's. The tense situation, combined with the lack of sleep had already affected his patience more than a bit, and being talked down to by someone like Blade didn't help on it. 

Blade watched him for a moment, not looking very convinced, but dropped the subject. Kyle waited, expecting a comment of some sort, but Blade turned his attention to the second gun, carefully examining it before repeating his earlier action, firing the gun twice at one of the targets. 

Slowly the gun was lowered, and Blade turned his head slightly. "What about Twilight?"

Kyle eyes narrowed, his protectiveness towards Suzuka resurfacing. "What about her?" he asked, a hint of suspiciousness in his voice.

"Does she know how to use a gun?" Blade clarified, turning to face Kyle. 

"I..." Kyle hesitated, then sighed almost inaudibly. "I don't know," he admitted. "She's never mentioned it, and I've never seen her use one."

"Then teach her," Blade replied, pale eyes watching him coldly. "I'm not going into a situation like this with someone who can't even use the most basic of firearms."

"You know, it's limited how much you can teach someone in one day," Kyle pointed out, not entirely friendly. 

Blade snorted. "How hard can it be? Aim at target, pull trigger...even *she* should be able to figure that out." He smirked faintly and continued, "of course, I *could* teach her myself, but I doubt that she'd appreciate a lesson from me."

The dark humor in Blade's words didn't sit well with Kyle, but he knew that it was true - Suzuka and Blade could barely be in the same room without getting into an argument. Having Blade actually *teach* Suzuka anything...Kyle shook his head, making a mental note to make sure that Suzuka would know how to use a gun. He himself could use his powers for protection, Blade and Melee had experience working for them, but Suzuka, powerful as she was, didn't exactly have a mutation that would give her an edge in a situation like this.

Kyle eyed the guns again. Suzuka would probably hate to use a weapon like that, but in this case they didn't really have a choice - they needed all the help they could get, whether they liked that help or not.

Pushing aside the thought, he focused on Blade, a thoughtful look entering his eyes. Much as he hated to admit it, they would need his help, untrustworthy as he probably was. Of all of them, he was the one most likely to have experience with something like this, and that could mean the difference between success and failure.

"How do we do this?" Kyle asked.

Blade shrugged, the casualness of the gesture completely at odds with the subject of their discussion. "We do what they want us to - go in and take over the place...and then get out again before we get killed."

"And the details?" Kyle asked, not in the mood for any games.

Blade raised an eyebrow. "You've seen the blueprints and photos; you know what to expect." He paused for a moment, watching the human-shaped targets thoughtfully. "We'll have to kill his bodyguards - they'll cause too much trouble otherwise."

"We can't-" Kyle started to object, but Blade continued, ignoring his protests. 

"Maybe the ordinary guards, too," he added. "...depending on their reactions. The reporters shouldn't prove much of a problem, and neither should the senator himself."" 

Kyle's eyes narrowed. "I won't kill anyone."

Blade shrugged again. "Then Jordane and I will handle that. Just keep an eye on the guards and make sure that nobody will get the chance to shoot us...and keep an eye on Suzuka as well. If she gets in my way, I'll kill her myself, temporary truces be damned." The last was added with a hint of anger in his voice that made it clear that this was far from an empty threat. 

"Can't we use sedatives instead?" Kyle objected. "We can't just kill half a dozen people in cold blood."

Blade sent him a cold look. "Sedatives take too long to work. If you want to give them an extra chance to shoot you, then go ahead - just don't endanger the rest of us just because you feel suicidal. Besides, they're bodyguards - they know the risks of their profession."

"And that justifies killing them?" Kyle asked sharply. 

Blade's eye narrowed. "I don't need to justify my actions, Sanderson. The guards are in the way, so they'll die. It's that simple."

"And the thought of executing them in cold blood doesn't bother you the least?" Kyle demanded. 

"Should it?" A faint smirk, and Blade continued, "If we want them to believe us, we have to show that we're serious. Sedatives won't accomplish that."

"You shouldn't incidentally have tried something like this before?" Kyle asked icily, the careless dismissal of human lives not something he was willing to let lie.

Blade smirked again, then picked up one of the guns. "Go find Twilight," he remarked. "Have a talk with her. Rant a bit about the injustice of the world. Complain about the psychotic cellmates you suddenly got, if that makes you feel any better. Because here are the facts, Sanderson - we're going to go through with this. When we do, someone will die. And I assure you - I will do whatever it takes to make sure that Jordane and I am not among them."

The gun snapped up and fired at the target again repeatedly, tearing through the place that would have been the heart on a normal person. For a moment it was silent, then Blade tossed the weapon carelessly on the table and left the room, leaving Kyle behind with the still-smoking gun.

***


	91. Echoes of the Past

There won't be any new updates for the next two weeks, since I'm spending the holidays on Madeira. So - merry Christmas, and I'll see you guys in a couple of weeks ^^

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: Slash warning, meaning that those who have issues with a m/m pairing should skip this chapter. Why this sudden change? You see, I looked at the people who reviewed, and realized that most of the die-hard anti-slash readers apparently didn't follow the story any more...leaving me with free hands to finally add a slash-pairing ^^. If anyone has any objections, I'm afraid it's too late for that now.

A/N 3: Zahra's power is echolocation - it enables her to find her way around even without the help of her eyes. The high tones she uses to navigate with can also be used as a weapon in emergencies - she can, if needed be, make the sounds loud enough to deafen someone permanently. 

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Italics indicate thoughts/telepathy

[...] Indicates flashbacks

***

Chapter Seventy: Echoes of the Past

***

Anger. Worry. Annoyance. 

Fear?

Ryan's head snapped up, emotions clouding his mind as the link with Kyle was flooded by conflicting feelings; some strong, some weak, but none of them pleasant. Pushing aside his own growing fear, he reached out with his mind, his thoughts instantly turning to his friend.

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Kyle?

There was only a vague sense of recognition, and Ryan slowly stood up and walked out of the main room, looking for somewhere to talk to his friend without interruptions. Much to his relief, nobody asked him where he was going, and he stepped silently into one of the empty bedrooms, letting himself sink down in one of the chairs.

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Kyle...

The time there was a reply as his silent word finally found their way through Kyle's emotions, making the other aware of his presence.

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Ryan?

A nod, although Kyle couldn't see it. _What happened? I felt..._ Ryan trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

Kyle sighed. _It's okay. I was just talking with Blade and I lost my temper. It's...I'm okay. Really._

[-The candle fell to the ground, the flame sizzling and dying as it hit the wet concrete and rolled into a small puddle of water. 

"Kyle!"

Blue eyes met blue; wide-eyed fear bordering on panic visible in their usually so calm depths. Worry clouded Ryan's mind and he reached out, touching Kyle's shoulder gently. Blue eyes snapped up, panic slowly fading as their owner fought back his fear, and finally Kyle nodded.

"I'm-I'm okay. Really." Still fear in his voice, still a touch of panic, and whether the words were meant to reassure Ryan or himself, wasn't clear. "I'm...I'm okay."]

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What did he do? Ryan asked, worry shining through his words, betraying the fear he felt.

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We discussed how to handle this thing, and we...didn't really agree on much. A hint of dry amusement in the words, and it make Ryan feel a bit better - as long as Kyle could still act like that, he wasn't broken. 

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What did you decide on, then? Ryan asked. A bit of the worry in his mind faded and he switched partially back to the leader he was supposed to be.

Kyle shook his head, mentally going through the things they'd decided over the past day. _We're...we'll pretty much have to follow Blade,_ he admitted. _He's the one who is most likely to have any experience with something like this._ Ryan remained silent, waiting for him to continue, and Kyle sighed. _We'll have to do this the hard way - we don't have that many options. Get in, take over the place, and hope we won't get killed in the process._

Ryan nodded slowly, considering the words. _And what about the guards?_

Kyle winced slightly. _I suggested sedatives, but..._ he paused for a moment. _Blade and Melee will kill them. I don't agree with them, but we don't really have a choice._

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I know, Ryan admitted silently. _Kyle...there was nothing you could have done to change their minds about this, don't forget that._

[-"I should have done something. I had my powers, I could have-"

"You could have tried to get them out, and would have died with them," Ryan replied, a hard edge in his voice, belying the grief he felt at Kyle's words. He wanted to hold him, tell him that everything would be all right, but right now the most important thing would be to take care of Kyle's guilt - carrying around remorse like that could easily break a person, and that was the last thing Ryan wanted to see.

"I..." Kyle trailed off, pain clear in his eyes, and while the sight almost made Ryan physically hurt, he forced himself to continue.

"There was nothing you could have done to save them, Kyle. Never forget that,"]

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I know, I just... Kyle trailed off, but the meaning was clear, echoing more than one conversation they'd had in the past, the words all but burned into Ryan's mind by now. And Ryan wanted to comfort him, wanted to make the fear and doubt go away, but no matter how much it pained him, they did not have the time.

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What about weapons? he asked, hoping to distract his friend from the unpleasant thought of the guards. It worked partially - Kyle focused on the weapons instead, but the darker thoughts still lingered in the back of his mind.

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Blade tried them out - they seem to be working fine. It's guns, mostly, and a couple of knives - nothing too sophisticated, Kyle replied. _I'll need to give Suzuka a crash-course in guns later...I don't think she's ever tried to use one before._

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She hasn't, Ryan confirmed. _I don't think she'll like it, but..._

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...But we don't have a choice, Kyle finished quietly. 

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No, Ryan admitted with a sigh. He paused, then continued. _We'll be there when you take over the room - I don't know how many of us, but Daryn and I will be there at the very minimum. Probably at the front...Daryn usually needs to touch what he's trying to control, but he thinks he might be able to do it from a short distance since the collars are fairly simple._

Kyle nodded slowly, although Ryan couldn't see it. _Good._ He paused for a moment, the brief instant stretching into eternity, the continued. _Ryan..._

Ryan frowned, feeling some of his worry return. _What?_

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What are our chances of getting out of this alive? The words were calm and collected - not desperately hopeful as one might have expected, but just...accepting. Nobody should ever have to accept a situation like that, and Ryan felt a pang of grief.

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Kyle-

__

And don't lie to me, Kyle interrupted softly. _After everything we've been through, you owe me the truth. How bad is it?_

Ryan sighed. He didn't want to tell Kyle how bad things really were, but...he owed him the truth, didn't he? Kyle had saved his sanity - and his humanity - more than once. He'd been there to remind him that he wasn't alone, that someone cared. He'd been Ryan's one anchor to reality when his telepathy had been spinning out of control, and the very least he could do in return was to be honest, no matter how much it pained him.

__

It's...bad, Ryan admitted slowly. 

__

How bad? Kyle repeated. _What are our chances?_

__

They're...pretty much nonexistent, Ryan admitted. _We'll do our best - we're not helpless, and we're pretty sure we can do this, but..._

__

...But we're up against the military and the complete resources of the government, Kyle finished, then sighed softly. _Thank you for being honest._

__

Kyle, it's not - we still have a chance to get you out of there, don't forget that. We can-

Kyle smiled; a faint, wry smile that made Ryan remember the haunted teenager he'd first met so long ago. _Yes...but the fact still remains - we're most likely going to die._

__

I won't let you, Ryan replied with quiet conviction. _I..._ he paused, then continued in a softer voice. _I don't want to lose you._

[-A hand tracing slow patterns on heated skin, a warm body pressed against his own, the sheets tangled around them, half torn off the bed.

"I don't want to lose you." Soft, gentle words, a hint of worry tainting the peaceful atmosphere in the room.

Lips against lips, kissing away the half-formed doubts, promising eternity in their touch, although both knew that eternity was beyond their ability to give. The hand trailed further down, fingers caressing taut muscles, the kiss growing deeper, more insistent and they forgot about the ifs and hows and whys. Because really, what did a distant eternity matter on a night like this?]

The words echoed through Kyle's mind, barely the ghost of a whisper, and with them came loss, fear, regret, uncertainty - all the feelings that Ryan usually kept so well-hidden. Resurfacing, they brushed Kyle's mind through the telepathic link and made him want to reach out and comfort Ryan, and tell him that everything would be okay.

But much as he wanted to, he couldn't, and they both knew that.

__

We still have a chance, remember? Kyle reminded him, suppressing his doubts. _It's not big, but it's there._

And that was the truth, wasn't it? That they still had a chance? And even if he didn't quite believe it himself, that was what Ryan needed to hear, and Kyle would do his damn best to protect Ryan from any unnecessary pain and worry. 

__

Now we just need to make *you* believe that, Ryan replied quietly. 

__

I'm not giving up, if that's what you're afraid of, Kyle assured him. _You know that isn't my style._

Faint amusement from Ryan, and he smiled slightly, reluctantly. _I know. I just..._ he trailed off, not sure how to continued. _I don't want to be alone again._

[-The cool night wind caressing his face, sending shivers down his spine, the temperature just a bit too cold to be comfortable. Footsteps, then the feeling of a warm body against his back, and two arms were wrapped around him, keeping the cold a bit at bay. For a moment they stood there, silently watching the city from the rooftop, then Ryan sighed almost inaudibly. 

"What's wrong?" Ryan didn't have to turn around to see the frown on Kyle's face, and he shook his head slightly in reply.

"I just..." he trailed off, hesitating for a moment. "I was just thinking."

"About what?" Another frown, and Ryan sighed again.

"It's just...I was worried. I was thinking about everything that's been going on lately, and I...I just wondered what I would do if I lost you," he admitted quietly. Another pause, his breath forming a white mist in the air, then he continued. "I don't want to be alone."

"And you won't be," Kyle replied quietly. "I promise."]

Real fear followed his words this time, and Kyle knew beyond any doubt that it had been years since Ryan had last allowed himself to show a vulnerability like that, and the fact that he showed it now only made Kyle that much more worried.

__

You won't be alone, I won't let you, he replied, adding whatever reassurance he could behind the words. The fact that Ryan was willing to show this kind of emotions was all the proof that Kyle needed to know that the situation was starting to tear on Ryan with a worrying speed. Protective urges flared along with worry for his long-time friend, worry and the knowledge that he had to do something soon. At the moment Ryan was the best - and quite possible also the only - choice for a leader, and Kyle had no doubt that the moment Ryan lost his hope and the will to fight, they would also lose their last chance of surviving. 

No reply from Ryan, only a faint diminishing in the worry that clouded his mind, and Kyle continued.

__

I won't leave you, he whispered.

[-The soft sound of cloth against skin, joined by the slow, steady beat of two hearts; faint movement, the sheet clinging slightly to bodies damp with sweat, the air heavy around them. A kiss, slow, lingering, both of them pleasantly exhausted.

"I won't leave you." Soft words, blue eyes meeting blue, one pair intense, searching for reassurance, the other equally intense and painfully honest, the truth of the words mirrored in the dark depths. 

A moment of complete silence, only broken by the sound of their heartbeats, then theirs lips met, tense muscles loosening and questioning eyes warming again at the caress. 

"I know, he whispered. "I know..."]

__

I know, Ryan replied, echoing the words of a night so long ago, his voice conveying his love, his care, his devotion.

Gently he reached out, brushing against Kyle's mind with mental fingers, and Kyle felt a ghost-like touch on his cheek, invisible fingers caressing it with infinite care. He didn't move, afraid to break Ryan's concentration and the brief moment of contact, and Ryan reached out again, already feeling the strain on his mind, but no longer caring.

Another gentle caress; a feather-like kiss of phantom lips against lips, and for a moment Kyle could almost imagine that he could feel Ryan beside him, his body heat chasing away the cold; fingers intertwined with his, soft lips pressed against his skin. Then the moment passed and the ghostly touch faded, and Ryan sighed faintly, regretfully. 

__

Be careful.

Simple words, but holding everything they didn't have time to say; emotions, thoughts, and hopes intermingling among the letters.

__

I promise.

And with one last phantom touch, the connection faded as Ryan's mind surrendered to the exhaustion he'd inflicted on it, leaving the two alone once again.

***


	92. A Touch of Hope

****

To Ageless, because sometimes I don't think we appreciate our beta readers enough. You're quite probably the sole reason why I haven't screwed up the plotline yet. Thanks, chica ^^

Oh, and since I have a final on January 10th that I *really* need to study for, I can't really say when the next chapter will show up. *apologetic smile* Sorry.

***

1. First of all - I repeat: if anyone have any ideas/objections/anything related to the fic that they would like to discuss, I can be reached on **hack_heaven@usa.net **or on **ICQ at 161517297**. I don't bite, I don't get snappy unless you do, and I am in general a fairly pleasant person to chat to (honestly). I am more than willing to consider other people's ideas for the fic, as long as said ideas are **in character for the fictives** and you can give me a **good reason for writing them**. Give me some good enough arguments, and I'll probably even be willing to re-write entire chapters to work the idea into the fic. I will, however, also admit that I am biased - I'm far easier to convince if you've been reviewing on at least a semi-regular basis, but that doesn't mean I will refuse to listen to people who's never reviewed. 

So - if you don't like where the fic is going, then do something to change it. I made it clear from the very beginning that ideas would be more than welcome, so if you aren't happy, then a) tell me so, and give me some ideas to change it, or b) stop reading the story. It's that simple. 

That being cleared up, let's get to the next point: 

The Kyle/Ryan pairing has been sub-text for the past 30 chapters or so. I've been considering making it a 'real' paring for the past **15** chapters. This is not a pairing added just to shock people and/or get them to review (all right, maybe to shock them a little bit, but really, most of Journey was written with that idea in mind). 

Everyone clear? Good! :)

2. About Diana: Don't worry, we'll get to that. I know what I'm doing *cough*moreorless*cough*. 

3. The rest of the questions/comments: 

****

Ageless: *wide, innocent eyes* Me? Malicious? Impossible! *grins* Just a bit twisted in the head, maybe...

****

Stupidx: f/f slash? Trust me, I've considered it several times, but I haven't been able to find a pairing that works *sigh*. If you have any suggestions, I'd appreciate them :)

****

Blackcat: *grins* Whoever said that the Ryan/Diana thing is supposed to end? I don't have the heart to take Ryan away from her now that she finally managed to knock some sense into him.

****

SilentPegasus: Don't worry, the slash won't show up too often ^^

****

X-moonchik: Glad you approve ^^. After all, Kyle *was* supposed to be straight, but...*grins* I couldn't help myself. So I'm glad you like it :)

****

Tiger5913: Yes, more Diana/Ryan. Trust me! *smirk*

****

Dragonette: My main reason for writing isn't to please people, it's because I think it's fun. I like reviews, I won't deny that, but I won't write merely for the sake of them. Even if nobody reviewed, I would still finish the fic for the sole reason that I enjoy writing it (well, most of the time, anyway *wry smile*). If I thought I was doing something wrong, I would have tried to make the fic more mainstream, since a slash-pairing would be more likely to chase readers away instead. 

Yes, Kyle and Ryan have a deep friendship going on, but it goes deeper than that - they survived together on the streets for more than a year, and life out there isn't easy. They took whatever comfort they could get, especially in each other's arms, and things like that are quite likely to show up again in stressful and traumatic situations, which their current situation can safely be describes as. If you still feel that anything needs to be rectified, you know my e-mail and ICQ number.

***

Chapter Seventy-One: A Touch of Hope

***

She found him in one of the bedrooms, drawn to it by the waves of emotions radiating from the man; hurt, fear, anger, pain, loss, all intermingling to create a heavy bleakness that surrounded her mind and made her heart ache for him. He didn't react as she entered the room, but remained unmoving on the bed where he sat, his elbows resting on his knees, hands hiding his face from view.

"Ryan?" Her voice was soft, hesitant, and she reached out, one hand resting lightly on his shoulder. 

The small touch seemed to tear Ryan out of his trance, and the bleakness that surrounded him faded, once again drawn back in behind his ever-present shields. Only a faint shadow of his emotions lingered, his mind too drained to keep complete control.

"Diana..." He looked up, dark blue eyes tired, weary, betraying the mental and physical exhaustion he felt, and Diana sat down next to him, caressing his cheek lightly with her hand. 

"What happened? You were...."

"Tired, that's all," Ryan replied, forcing himself to act normally, but not quite succeeding. "I just lost concentration for a moment...it's nothing." He sighed softly, regretfully. "I'm sorry I made you worried." 

Diana shook her head slightly, not at all convinced by his words. "I know you, Ryan, and know that you don't just 'lose concentration'. What happened?"

Ryan looked at her, her green eyes clouded with worry for him. Even in his current condition he could feel the trust and compassion surrounding her, inviting him to confide in her, to trust her like she trusted him.

He shouldn't, he knew that. She was too young, too vulnerable to have to deal with his pain and worries, but...he couldn't handle it alone. The fear, the worries, the insecurities - without Kyle's support, he would have no protection against the darkness in his own mind, and now...now Kyle was gone. 

"Ryan?" Soft, questioning words, almost caressing, and Ryan felt the last of his objections fade away.

"I talked with Kyle," he finally replied, his voice barely more than a whisper. 

Diana didn't reply for a moment, waiting for him to continue, but Ryan remained silent, lost in thoughts. 

"Ryan?"

The man looked up again, the unasked question hanging heavy in the air, adding to the burden that was already weighing down on his shoulders. 

"Are they okay? What's wrong?" Diana continued, hoping to tear him out of his gloomy thoughts and back into the real world. 

"They're...alive," he replied quietly. "Alive and unharmed, and that's really the best we can hope for, isn't it?" The was something in his voice, something elusive that Diana try as she might couldn't quite put her finger on, and whatever it was, it was starting to make her nervous.

"What's wrong, Ryan?" she repeated softly. "Talk to me...trust me."

His blue eyes met her own again, tired and haunted, and she reached out, caressing his cheek gently, putting all her love and devotion behind that one motion, hoping to somehow get through to him. For a long moment he didn't react, merely watched her as if really seeing her for the first time, then sighed.

"He's..." Ryan shook his head slightly, trying to find a word that could describe what he'd felt from Kyle. "He's not giving up, he's too strong for that, but..." Another long pause, and Diana remained silent, waiting for him to continue. "He's doesn't think they're going to get out this," Ryan finally admitted, the words hurting more than he'd expected. 

Once again, Diana remained silent, knowing that Ryan rarely allowed anyone to see him vulnerable, and that he needed time to gather his thoughts. 

"He's...they've decided what do to, and that they'll go through with his, but...he doesn't believe that they'll get out of it. He's resigned himself to the thought that they're likely to die, and that that'll be the end of it," Ryan said quietly, his eyes closing briefly at the thought. "And...I'm starting to fear that he's right."

"Don't say that," Diana objected, green eyes worried. "We'll get them out of there, you know that."

"Will we?" Ryan asked, his voice serious. "Will we, Diana? Can you look me in the eyes and honestly tell me that you think this will work out fine?"

"No," Diana replied. "I can't. But at least *I* haven't lost hope."

The words were deliberately hard, and although Diana hated talking to Ryan like that, it was also the only way she could think of that might tear Ryan out of his dark thoughts. They needed a leader, and allowing Ryan to sink into depressing wouldn't help anyone.

No reply from Ryan, and Diana caressed his cheek again, hoping to comfort him a bit. "We're not helpless, you know that. We have our powers, and we have the advantage of surprise. The military doesn't know we're coming for them - they don't expect this, and that gives us a big advantage."

"We don't need an advantage, we need a miracle," Ryan sighed. "We need..."

"We need you to stop pitying yourself and be the leader you're supposed to be," Diana interrupted. "We can't do this without you, Ryan. If you give up now, we might as well not bother trying." 

Ryan shook his head. "You don't understand, Diana. No matter what we do, someone's likely to get killed. If I decide we go through with this, I'll endanger all of us. If I decide not to, we'll leave Kyle and Suzuka to die. We can't win."

"Yes, we can," Diana disagreed. "With Daryn to handle the collars, with you to get us inside and keep everyone in contact through your powers, and with Hal and her team on our side if it comes to a fight...we can win. They don't know about Daryn's powers, and they don't expect anyone to fight back - our odds are better than you think."

For a long moment it was silent as Ryan considered the words, showing no sign that he'd heard her at all. Finally he closed his eyes and sighed softly, the small sound bringing with it all the fear and worry he felt.

"I don't want to lose him," Ryan admitted quietly. "I can't..." He trailed off, unable to put his feelings into words and Diana moved a bit closer to him, her presence chasing away some of the worry Ryan felt.

"Kyle?" she guessed, and Ryan nodded, opening his eyes to look at her again.

"I can't lose him, Diana...not now, not after all we've been through."

Diana nodded, feeling the worry for Kyle radiate through his mental shields for a moment, before the emotion faded away again, once again hidden. Had it been anyone else but Kyle, she would have been jealous of the deep-running emotions she felt from him. Anyone...but not Kyle. She knew how much the two cared about his other, saw the affectionate friendship between them every day, and knew that it was as much a part of Ryan as his telepathy, or his compassion, or his way of thinking.

She let her trust and reassurance flow freely, knowing that Ryan would feel it, and kissed him lightly on lips, hoping to give him whatever comfort she could.

"We'll get them out of this safely," she said, her voice full of quite conviction. "I know we will."

Ryan looked at her, really hearing her words for the first time, and felt some of the depressive thoughts in his mind fade away, replaced by the first real glint of hope in a long time. What if it was possible after all? She did have a point, didn't she? With the element of surprise on their side, and with their combined powers...maybe it wasn't completely hopeless after all. 

The faint look of hope in his eyes didn't go unnoticed to Diana and she continued, trying to get through to him. "You know Kyle isn't helpless - he has his powers, and that alone is enough to keep him alive through a whole lot. And Suzuka is a fighter - she's not going to give up, and even if they get into unexpected trouble, she knows how to defend herself."

Ryan nodded slightly, his mind slowly starting to register her arguments. The doubt was still there, yes, but weaker than before, pushed away by the confidence and trust he felt from Diana. "We still have a few days...if Daryn practices using his powers from a distance..."

Diana nodded, encouraged by what she saw. "I'll tell him to do that," she replied. "Anything else?"

Ryan paused for a moment, considering the situation and his talk with Kyle. He wasn't strong enough to keep them in direct contact constantly, but he had gotten the most important details. Now, they needed to plan it a bit better. Hal had managed to get the blueprints - how, Ryan wasn't sure, and in all honesty he didn't want to know, either. 

"Go get Ben, and then let's have a talk with Hal and Zack," he decided. "We need to figure out the details of our plan, and I think those two are most likely to know what kind of situation we're walking into. They'll also know how Blade and Melee will act in a situation like this, and I want to know exactly what to expect from those two - we don't need any ugly surprises."

Diana nodded again, silently encouraging him to go, but Ryan barely noticed it, caught up in his own thoughts, slowly starting to put together the complex puzzle. And with every piece that fit in, he felt his own hopes increase - maybe this could work after all. 

"We'll need a way to get inside, too - I can't manipulate that many minds at one time," he continued.

"The others might have some ideas," Diana suggested. "They must have tried using fake IDs before."

Ryan nodded. "My thoughts exactly." He paused, mentally going through the last part of the conversation again, and nodded, satisfied with what he found. "I think that's all for now," he decided. "Go get Ben, Hal, and Zack - I'll be out in a moment."

Diana nodded and got up, heading across the room when Ryan's voice stopped her.

"Diana..." The girl looked up questioningly, waiting for him to continue. "Thank you. I think I needed that."

She smiled, a hint of good-natured teasing in her eyes. "You did. And you're welcome."

She walked out the room, closing the door behind her, and for a long moment Ryan sat on the bed thoughtfully, then nodded again. Yes...with planning, and some luck, it might not be hopeless after all it. With a little luck, it could work.

It had to. 

***


	93. A Time for Planning

A/N 1: I might take Journey down at some point and re-load it as 20 or so longer chapters. Just so you know...

A/N 2: T'Girl: Hal/Zahra? Hmm...*exchanges a look with Ageless* That just might work...

***

Chapter Seventy-Two: A Time for Planning 

***

Hal leaned back in the soft chair, stretching slowly, allowing tense muscles to loosen and letting her body rest for a moment. She could feel the lingering tiredness, the dull throbbing in the back of her head, caused by too much work and too little time to do it in, but despite of her current discomfort, she felt...good.

A faint smile graced her pale lips, lighting up her features, and Zach sent her a questioning look from his place on the couch, but received only a slight smirk as reply. 

Yes, their situation was far from good. Yes, they were about to do something amazingly stupid and hazardous, and yes, their odds were probably so bad that not even Hal would be able to turn them into their favor, but still she couldn't help but feel good about herself. She would be the first to admit that she hadn't agreed with Blade's decision of putting her in control of the team - she was too young and too inexperienced, and she knew it. And still she'd managed to live up to her responsibility and get herself and the other four safely out of the internment camp, and much as she tried to suppress it, she couldn't help the feeling of smug satisfaction. 

It wasn't a time for gloating, and Hal knew that, too, but still...she'd seen the way Ryan had looked at her at first, clearly doubting her ability to control herself, let alone her team. She didn't need to be a telepath to know that Ryan had been questioning the wisdom of making an eighteen-year-old girl responsible for the safety five people. She knew he'd doubted her, and to finally see a slow respect for her appearing in his eyes made her oddly proud. She didn't need his approval, never would, but he was a good leader, and his respect had to mean that she was doing something right. 

Hal had been given a responsibility and handled it better than anyone had expected, and damnit, she had every right to pat herself on the back for it. 

Another amused smile lingered on her lips, drawing curious look from Zach, and this time Hal allowed herself to send him a genuine smile in return. Zach raised an eyebrow, clearly wondering about her good mood, but didn't ask. If it were anything important she'd tell him later, he knew that.

Someone stepped into the room and Hal looked up, red eyes following Ryan as he crossed the room and sat down in a chair. He looked every bit as tired as Hal felt, and the girl couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for him. It was no secret that he and Kyle were good friends, and knowing what situation both Kyle and Suzuka were in could not be easy for him. At least Hal knew that Blade and Jordane had a fair chance of getting out alive. But the other two...they had their powers, but they had no experience to back it up. No wonder Ryan looked concerned. 

Hal watched silently as the man sat down, waiting for him to begin. They had gathered in one of the bedrooms, making sure to have only the necessary people present - it wasn't because they wanted to exclude anyone, but it would be hard to make plans when a dozen people were talking at the same time. 

A long moment of silence passed, then Ryan finally looked up, eyes resting on each of the other five people in the room. "I talked to Kyle," he began, the words slow and carefully measured. "So far they're okay, and they've decided to go through with the plan."

Hal nodded faintly. It was nothing she hadn't expected - after all, what other choice did the four have? The silence after Ryan's words drew out for an uncomfortably long moment, then Zach frowned.

"Do they know how they'll get inside the building?" he asked, drawing the attention of both Hal and Ryan. 

"No. They haven't been told to figure something out, so that will most likely be handled by the military," Ryan replied. "They've been given the weapons they need, along with blueprints of the building, but so far they don't know how they're supposed to get there."

Hal frowned. "That means we can't get them out of there before Ross is supposed to make his speech. We'll have to be inside the building, then."

"But how?" Ben asked. "It'll be impossible to sneak inside with the kind of security that will surround the place. We'll need some valid reason to be there, otherwise we'll get kicked out before we can help them. There won't be an audience, we saw that on the news - if we just show up, we'll look too much out of place."

And that fact was something Hal had cursed more than once - had there been an audience, it would have been relatively easy to get inside. But that possibility had been efficiently shut off, much to everyone's dismay.

"But the reporters will be there," Diana remarked, a hint of eagerness entering her words. "I mean, Ryan, you're old enough to pass for a reporter. And Daryn...it'll be easy to convince the guards that you're with him."

Daryn looked at her and frowned slightly. "But...they won't fall for that. I'm too young to pass for a member of a news-crew."

"No...not if I convince the guards to believe me. If they think I'm supposed to be there, I'll be easy to convince them to let you in as well," Ryan disagreed. "So - Daryn and I and..." he trailed off. "Who else? I want as few people as possible inside - the rest of you can stay nearby in case something happens, but having too many people inside the building itself would only make it difficult to get away unnoticed."

"Zach and me can come along, then," Hal replied, and met Ryan's skeptical look without blinking. "I can make our odds a bit better, and in case anything does go wrong, we'll need Zach's powers as defense. You'll need us, Ryan, whether you like it or not."

Ryan nodded slowly, not entirely happy about the idea, but knowing too well that she had a point. They'd need all the help they could get. "You might have a point," he admitted, his eyes coming to rest on Zach. "You look older than you are...you should be able to get inside without too much trouble," he told the boy. "And Hal..." The albino looked at him, raising an eyebrow slightly. "You'll draw attention."

Hal shrugged. "Yes, and I'll draw it away from the rest of you. Albinos aren't considered real mutants - I'll draw attention, but nobody will do anything. And the more people that focus on me, the less people are likely to notice just how young the members of our so-called news-crew are."

"True," Ryan admitted. They wanted to avoid any unnecessary questions, and having Hal divert people's attention might just work. It wasn't the best solution they could have come up with, no, but it would have to work. "All right. Now we know how to get inside...what about the rest? Daryn?" He raised an eyebrow and looked at the boy questioningly.

Daryn sighed and took a moment to gather his thoughts. "I'll need to be close to the collars. I think I can open them without touching them, but...I'll need to be close."

"How close?" Ryan asked, his eyes never leaving the other.

"Three feet or less, I think. Any further and I doubt I'll be able to do it," Daryn admitted. 

Ryan nodded, his mind quickly fitting this new piece of information into his mental puzzle. "We'll have to be on the first row, then, but that should be the least of our problems." He paused. "What about ID tags? A camera? Something to make us look like we belong in the crowd?"

"We can handle that," Hal offered, and smiled faintly. "We'll need Daryn to talk to an ATM again, but other than that, you can leave it to us." Ryan looked at her, suspicion clear in his eyes, and Hal smirked. "Don't worry - as I said, it's our own account. Quit being so distrustful about us."

Ryan smiled faintly, remembering his own words to her about trust. "All right. You'll get the necessary equipment, then." He looked at them, suddenly serious. "But no weapons - if any of you set of a metal detector or get caught because you're carrying a gun around, we'll attract too much attention for me to manipulate everyone." 

Hal nodded and send Zach a brief look. "No weapons. We understand."

Ryan nodded slowly. "Good...I guess that's all for now. We'll tell the others what we decided, and then you people should get some rest. I think we'll need it."

Nobody said anything in reply, but Ryan could feel a general agreement as the small group got up and headed out the room. They were all tired, he could feel that, too, and he knew that everyone being well rested would be vital to their plan. 

He waited a moment, then looked up as Hal was about to leave the room.

"Hal?" 

The albino looked at him, red eyes watching him curiously. "Yes?"

"How good are you?" The question was simple, and the meaning behind it was clear.

Hal hesitated for a moment, considering how to answer the question, before she finally responded. "I can't turn the odds to our favor, if that's what you're asking. I'm not that good...I can only influence the immediate future, not events that are hours away. I can help on the odds, and give us an edge if needed be...but I can't counteract every little problem we might run into." She paused, then sighed. "I'm sorry."

Ryan smiled faintly, tiredly, and for a brief moment Hal saw the uncertainty he couldn't allow himself to show. Then Ryan nodded slightly, and the moment passed. "Thank you for being honest."

Hal shrugged uncomfortably, not sure how to respond. "We work together. You deserve to know."

Ryan frowned. "Maybe..." he trailed off, then shook his head to clear his mind a bit. "Make sure your team gets enough rest. As I said, they'll need it."

"We all will," Hal agreed, then sighed softly. "Take your own advice and get some sleep, Ryan. You need to, too." 

And before he could ask her about the sudden gesture of concern, Hal had left the room, leaving Ryan alone in the silence to wonder.

***


	94. 18th Interlude: Uncertainties

A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: The interlude takes place a few hours after chapter 72.

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Eighteenth Interlude: Uncertainties

***

"Ryan?"

The telepath looked up, meeting Ben's light blue gaze curiously. It was easy to dismiss the young healer as someone shy and timid, but to those who knew him like Ryan did, it was clear that there was far more to Ben that met the eye. Yes, the boy preferred to remain silent, and often sought refuge in solitude, but his eyes never stopped their observation of the world around him, and the mind that worked behind the blue gaze was anything but fragile. 

"Could I talk to you for a moment?" Ben continued, his eyes never leaving Ryan's. 

Ryan nodded slowly. "Sure." In all honesty he would have preferred to get some sleep, to catch up on the rest that his body longed for, but he also knew that Ben would not have asked like that if it hadn't been important. 

He sat down in the couch and got comfortable and watched as Ben did the same. For a moment it was silent, the room around them empty, the other most likely getting ready for bed, and then Ben sighed softly.

"What's going to happen, Ryan?"

Ryan frowned, a bit confused about the words. "What do you mean? The mission, or-"

Ben shook his head. "No, I mean after that." He paused, gathering his thoughts, and then continued. "What's going to happen with us, with the team?"

Ryan paused, not sure what to reply. What could he say? _Well, if my plan won't get all of us killed, we'll have to somehow get out of a town heavily guarded by the FoH, and then try to sneak across the border. And if *that* doesn't kill us, I'm sure there'll be other ugly surprises waiting for us. _

Ryan shook his head slowly, dismissing the dark thoughts. "We'll try to get out of town unnoticed, and then head south. After that...I don't know," he admitted. A pause, then - "Why? Is something wrong?"

His concern was clear in the words, and Ben sighed softly, tiredly, and rested his head in his hands. "I was just worried."

Ryan nodded slowly, sensing something still hidden behind Ben's soft words, and let his gaze rest on the younger mutant for a moment. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

He sounded uncomfortable, almost defensive, and that only added to Ryan's nagging suspicion that his friend was hiding something. Again the room fell silent, then Ryan moved slightly on the couch to get a bit more comfortable, resigning himself to the fact that sleep would have to wait. 

"I know you, Benji, and you're a lousy liar," Ryan sighed. "What's wrong?"

Another long moment passed, the silence growing almost uncomfortable, hanging heavily in the air around them before Ben finally reacted. "I know about you and Diana." 

Softly spoken words, almost hesitant, but they were all that was needed to bring back every suppressed fear and half-formed doubt in Ryan's mind. Ben was a smart guy, Ryan knew that, and if he was worried about Diana, then there had to be a good reason. 

"I didn't-" Ryan began, trying to explain that he hadn't hurt Diana, that he would die before causing her harm, but Ben shook his head, cutting off Ryan's objections. 

"You don't have to explain anything to me, Ryan. I'm not going to object - I'm not blind, you know. I can see how much she adore you, and I know you'd never hurt her. And....if you two decide to get together, then I'm happy for you."

Ben paused, sorting through his thoughts again, and Ryan remained silent, waiting for his friend to continue. Something told him that Ben wasn't finished yet, and he knew that interruptions would only make things that much harder for the younger mutant to explain.

"I..." Ben trailed off, then seemed to force himself to continue. "I thought it was Deirdre at first, during the escape from the internment camp. You seemed so happy to see her, and..."

"I was happy to see all of you alive and well," Ryan replied softly, the truth of the words clear in his voice.

"I know," Ben replied. "I just..." he shook his head. "It was just that seeing you greet Deirdre like that made me wonder."

"About what?" Ryan asked, encouraging him to continue. Ben's doubts and worries were clear to the telepath, and he knew that the best way to get rid of at least a few of those worries would be to talk about them.

Ben sighed, an unusual weariness in the motions. "I was just thinking that...if you fall in love with someone, then what's going to happen with the rest of us? I know I'm just being paranoid, but I can't stop wondering if we'll slowly slide apart until the team is gone. The logical part of me knows it won't happen, but..." he trailed off, then continued almost inaudibly. "I don't want to be forgotten."

"You won't be," Ryan promised quietly, Ben's words still whispering in his mind as a few more pieces in the complicated puzzle fell into place. That certainly explained a few things, didn't it? Ben's oddly pale smiles, the lack of optimism in his eyes and words...yes. It definitely explained a few things.

"Ben..." the boy looked up, meeting Ryan's eyes, and the telepath continued. "I won't forget about you or the team, just because I meet someone I like. We've known each other for years, remember? You can't just forget about a friendship that's lasted through that much."

Ben sighed. "I know, I was just..."

"Worried?" Ryan suggested, a sympathetic smile on his lips, and Ben nodded.

"Yeah."

Ryan nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "It's understandable...with all the things that's been going on recently, I think we're all concerned about something."

Ben smiled faintly, and for the first time in days there was a hint of the old warmth in the small gesture. "You know, it's a miracle that nobody has gotten into a fight yet...in all honesty, I hadn't expected the truce to last."

Ryan shook his head. "I had my doubts, too, but..." he paused briefly. "Hal's a fairly good leader...she seems to be able to keep them from getting into any serious argument with us. And I think our attempts to keep Deirdre and West away from Jhonen have helped a bit, too."

"I think so, too," Ben agreed, then frowned. "She's young for a leader, isn't she?"

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Hal?" he asked, and was met with a nod. "She is," he admitted, "but she's also the only one of them who'd be able to fill that position. This way, at least we won't get into any arguments about who's supposed to obey who." 

"True," Ben admitted, another faint smile lingering on his lips as he slowly got up from the couch. "I think I'll go to bed now. Sorry for keeping you up."

Ryan shook his head, but remained in the couch, not quite willing to get up yet. "It's okay. That's what friends are for, right?" he added, the hint of a teasing smile on his lips. 

Ben nodded. "I guess so, yeah." He hesitated for a moment, then continued. "Diana...she's a sweet girl. Take good care of her, okay?" the worry was clear in his words, and Ryan nodded.

"I will."

Ben smiles faintly, the drowsiness starting to catch up with him, and he walked down the hallway, heading for his room. Ryan waited for a moment, then slowly got up as well, his mind replaying the conversation, lingering on the last, few comments.

__

"Take good care of her, okay?"

"I will," he repeated softly to himself, the words etched into his mind, reminding him of the responsibility he had to Diana. "I will..."

__

...I promise.

***


	95. Eve of Darkness

A/N: *taps fingers against the table* No, Journey is not over yet - I just had a small fight with the plot. If I've had to live with this monster for a year (yes, a year. Yes, I need a life), you'll damn well have to suffer with me. No, a lack of reviews will *not* change my mind about this, unless there's a general agreement that the fic must end now (read: within 15 chapters). If so, tell me and thy wish shall be granted (really. Stop snickering, Ageless. I *can* finish this within 15 chapters!). Either way, Journey *will* be finished - if nothing else, then because I owe it to my regular reviewers ;) So - gimme your thoughts, in the reviews or in my journal, or even by e-mail: end it now, or take it to the real ending? 

I won't bite - just tell me what you think, all right? Good! 

***

Chapter Seventy-Three: Eve of Darkness

***

The gun felt uncomfortably heavy in her hand, the metal almost painfully cold where it touched her skin. She watched the weapon warily, then let her eyes rest on the cartridge on the wooden table, the dark metal box daring her to pick it up. 

A sigh, and she put the weapon down, the soft sound of metal against wood whispering in the silence. 

"Kyle..."

She felt him move behind her, then the comforting touch of his hand on her shoulder as he walked up to her.

"I know," he replied quietly.

There was no reason for her to explain what she meant - they both already knew. Having lived together for more than a year, they were very familiar with each other by now, and Kyle knew the unusually strong sense of honor that Suzuka possessed. She had been raised to fight with honor and without using any cheap tricks to win. Someone with her skills should be good enough to win without cheating, and that point of view had remained with her through all the things she'd been through. 

She fought with honor, and as she saw it, there was no honor in fighting with a gun. It didn't require much skill to kill someone with a bullet - it was cold, impersonal, and rarely gave the opponent a fair chance. She had - reluctantly - agreed to let Kyle teach her how to use a gun properly, but to ask her to actually use one of these weapons against another...

"I won't kill anyone," she said quietly, but didn't turn around to face Kyle. 

He sighed softly and reached out, his hand absently stroking a lock of her hair. "You won't have to."

"Promise?" She finally turned around to look at him, eyes silently asking him to make the doubts and confusion go away.

Kyle nodded. "I promise." The answer came without hesitation, and he knew that he was going to keep that promise - he wasn't about to let Suzuka become a killer or let her die because of this situation. And if that meant becoming a killer himself to keep her safe, then so be it. He knew how the world worked, and while he still had a sense of honor left, there was also a more cynical side of him that knew the meaning of kill or be killed. Suzuka, though...she lived by the honor concept, and if she was forced to kill someone in this way, there was no telling how she'd react. 

"Thank you," she whispered. For a moment it seemed like she wanted to say something more, but then the sound of footsteps coming closer reached them, and she shook her head, snapping herself out of her trance-like state. 

"Suzuka..." Kyle began, but the girl sighed.

"I can handle it, don't worry. I just..." she sighed again. "I can handle it."

They both looked towards the door to the shooting range as it opened and Jordane stepped inside, pausing momentarily at the sight of the two. Suzuka looked briefly at Jordane, then at Kyle again. "I'll be in our room." Kyle nodded, and Suzuka left the room, without sparing Jordane a second look.

The heavy door closed behind her, and for a long moment Kyle and Jordane watched each other, before the girl finally moved closer. "Blade wanted to know how Suzuka's doing."

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "And he couldn't ask himself?"

"He's busy." The reply he got was short, snappy even, and a lot more annoyed than he had expected, even from someone with a temper like Jordane's. His eyes narrowed, watching the girl carefully. Sure, her bad temper could be explained by the stress of the situation, but still...working with Blade, she should be used to something like this by now, shouldn't she?

"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked, a hint of concern shining through the words, a remain from their late-night talk. 

Jordane hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to tell the other, then sighed softly. He couldn't really use the information for much anyway, and he *did* seem to be honestly concerned about her... "It's just the drugs," she admitted. "It's taking forever for the side effects to disappear."

Kyle frowned and took a step closer, then reached out, his hand resting lightly on her forehead to check her temperature. "I don't think you have a fever, but you should see a doctor, you know."

"Blade told me the same thing," Jordane replied with a faint smile. "I'll handle it once we get out of this shit."

"*If* we get out of this shit," Kyle corrected quietly, some of the depressing thoughts returning, reminding him of the bad odds they faced. 

"We'll get out of this," Jordane disagreed. "You might not be used to this kind of thing, but we are. We're not completely helpless."

"The odds don't look good," Kyle pointed out. "Even with..." he trailed off, not sure how much he could say. The room could very well be bugged, and revealing that Ryan and the others would be there, would definitely not be a good idea.

Jordane shrugged, guessing what Kyle hadn't said out loud. "It's not as hopeless as you think. We've survived worse than this before." She smiled wryly. "Not much worse, though."

Kyle raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask for the details. Jordane has only just begun to trust him, and he didn't want to destroy that by pressing her for information he didn't need anyway. "Sounds like you've had an interesting couple of years with him," he remarked instead, his voice deliberately casual. 

"I guess you could say that..." Jordane replied, some of her guarded attitude returning at Kyle's words, realizing that she might accidentally say too much.

Kyle nodded slightly at the comment, silently deciding to back off and leave the subject alone. "So...what did you want to know? I'm assuming that Blade didn't send you down here out of concern for Suzuka's health," he commented, easily changing the subject. 

"We wanted to know if you'd managed to teach her anything, or if she's still hopeless," Jordane replied, a hint of something biting in her words. Annoyance? Disgust? Anger? Kyle sighed. Who knew? It wasn't easy to tell what went on in the girl's head. 

"It's limited what she can learn in a day," Kyle replied with a sigh. "But no, she's *not* hopeless, and yes, I *did* teach her the basics." He paused, mentally debating how much to tell the other, then continued. "I don't think she'll ever be able to kill anyone with a gun, but she knows how to use one."

Jordane nodded. "Good."

A moment passed, then Kyle frowned. "How are we getting into the building, anyway? We need to plan that, too."

"Don't worry about that," Jordane replied. "We'll get in as reporters."

"And that was something you two figured out, or...?"

"Sanders' orders," Jordane explained and shrugged, indicating her lack of control over what was going on. 

Kyle sent her an annoyed look. "And you were planning on telling us that...when? When we were standing outside the building?"

"Actually, that was the second reason why Blade asked me to find you two," Jordane snapped, her temper flaring for a moment. "Although I don't see what useful things you can contribute with."

Kyle glared at her. "Well, at least some of us have a useful mutation and won't just destroy everything we get within reach of," he snapped, letting his self-control go for a moment, against his better judgement. 

"And at least some of us won't try to get everyone killed by doing some dumb, heroic thing like insisting on saving the bodyguards," Jordane snapped back, not at all liking how Kyle talked to her. 

For a long moment they remained unmoving, neither willing to back down, then Kyle sighed. "Sorry I snapped at you," he apologized, doing what he could to sound sincere. This whole mess would be hard enough to get out of as it was. If they started to act like immature brats, their odds for surviving would be somewhere near non-existent. 

Jordane continued glaring at him for a moment longer, then slowly relaxed as well. "It's okay...I shouldn't have insulted you, I guess," she admitted. It wasn't entirely an apology, but it was probably the closest she'd come to giving one, and Kyle accepted it with a small nod.

"Let's get back upstairs, then," he suggested. "We still have some details to work out before tomorrow."

Jordane nodded. "Yeah...Blade and I managed to fix most of the details earlier, but we still need to-" a sudden wave of dizziness cut her off and she leaned against the wall, trying to force back the sudden feeling of nausea.

"Jordane?" Kyle quickly walked over to her, reaching out to support her. "What's wrong?" he brushed a lock of dyed hair away from her face and saw just how pale she suddenly seemed. Worry took over and he tipped her head up, trying to get an idea of just how bad this was. "Jordane?" the girl didn't reply, and he continued. "You have to see a doctor before this gets any worse."

"No," Jordane protested, her voice betraying the weakness she suddenly felt. "No military doctors."

Kyle frowned. He could see why she didn't want anything to do with someone who worked for the military, but he also knew that whatever had just happened to her could not be a good thing. "Jordane..."

"No!" she repeated, stronger this time, and slowly straightened up again. "No doctors. I'll be fine. It'll pass in a few minutes."

"You mean that this has happened before?" Kyle asked. "But..."

Jordane sighed, her mind slowly returning to normal after the sudden dizziness. "I'll see a doctor when we get out of here, but...no military doctors. It's two days at the most. I'll be fine."

Kyle didn't look convinced, and she continued. "Please...you know they can't be trusted. I'll probably end up as a guinea pig somewhere. I'll be fine. Trust me."

Kyle wasn't sure about her being fine, but he couldn't argue against her other reason. There was no telling what might happen if they put Jordane's wellbeing in the hands of someone who worked for the military. She'd be more likely to end up dead than cured of whatever side effect the drugs had inflicted on her, and they both knew it.

He sighed. "All right...no doctors."

Jordane smiled faintly, slowly starting to feel better, and nodded towards the door. "Good...let's go. We need to work out the details, remember?" Not bothering to wait for his reply she headed out the room, pausing briefly to look back. "You coming?"

Kyle nodded. "Yeah." Jordane disappeared down the hallway and Kyle followed her, his eyes resting on the girl. He would have more than just the plan to discuss with Blade - they wouldn't be able to send Jordane to a doctor here, but they *could* keep an eye on her in case something happened. And he had a nagging feeling that it would be necessary - something was wrong with Jordane and not even the best of her efforts could hide that. 

He frowned. Dizziness, increasingly bad side effects from a drug that should have been out of her body by now, an almost unhealthy paleness...

Yes. Something was definitely wrong. 

***


	96. Eve of Deception

***

Chapter Seventy-Four: Eve of Deception

***

The camera looked, well...like a camera. Not as large and clumsy as Kyle had expected a camera used by professionals to be, but otherwise more or less ordinary. Too many buttons, too many flashy things to keep track of, and Kyle found himself grateful that he didn't actually have to learn to use one of these things. He could, thankfully, get by with bluffing. 

"Where're the weapons hidden?" he asked, still watching the camera, eyes searching for anything that might give them away later. 

Blade reached out and took off a panel on the camera, the motion none too gentle, then pulled out the two guns that were hidden inside the camera. "Here. The other two guns are hidden in the other camera."

Kyle frowned and lifted the camera, looking more closely. "They must've taken out most of the parts inside to make room for that. Does this thing even work anymore?" 

Blade shrugged. "I doubt it. Doesn't matter, anyway."

Kyle tested the weight of the camera, still with a small frown. He didn't know how heavy these things were supposed to be, but considering the size of the camera, it felt about right. "The weight feels right," he remarked, almost absently. 

"It's supposed to. We need them to look real," Blade replied. 

"And how do we get through security with these? They look real, yeah, but still...if anyone takes a good look at the cameras, they'll notice something is wrong," Kyle remarked.

Blade shook his head. "According to Sanders, they'll find a way to get us past that."

"And if they don't?" Suzuka looked up from the blueprints she and Jordane had been studying. 

Blade sent her an even look. "Then we'll find a way to deal with it, Twilight," he replied, a dismissive note in his voice.

Suzuka glared at him, but didn't reply. For the past day or so there had been an unsteady truce between the two - neither of them liked the other, but for now they seemed to have settled for more or less hidden insults, rather than get into a real fight. It was, admittedly, a very unsteady truce, but for now it seemed to work.

"Sanderson - you'll take one of the cameras, I'll take the other," Blade continued. "They're not exactly light, so we'll have an easier time handling them. And make sure you can get those guns out in a hurry if needed be," he added.

Kyle nodded. "Got it."

"Other than that...." Blade trailed off, his eyes resting for a moment on the stack of maps, blueprints, and schematics spread out on the large table. "I think we've gone through everything, now. We know how the place looks, what to do, what to expect. The only thing left to do is get some rest before tomorrow." He looked up, his eyes finding Jordane, the message clear.

"I don't need to-" she began, but stopped as he shook his head.

"We all need rest, Jordane." _Especially you._ The last part of the sentence remained unsaid, but the meaning wasn't lost on Kyle. Clearly he wasn't the only one who'd notice just how bad Jordane seemed to be doing. 

"He's right," Kyle added, deliberately not looking at anyone in particular, not wanting to Jordane to feel targeted by the remark. "We'll need all the rest we can get before tomorrow."

Jordane looked at Blade again, clearly not happy about the situation, but after a moment she sighed and relented. "All right..."

Suzuka sent Kyle a brief look, then nodded and packed away the maps. "Good idea," she replied, and Kyle sent her a faint, thankful smile. She wasn't quite sure what was going on, but it was clear that Kyle needed her support on this matter, and she wasn't about to let him down.

Suzuka sent Kyle another look, then headed out the door. Jordane hesitated for a moment, then followed her, pausing briefly in the doorway. "Blade?"

"In a moment," Blade replied, his voice deliberately casual. "I need to check something first."

Jordane nodded, her gaze lingering on the two for a second before she headed into the hallway, towards their rooms. Kyle waited until the sound of her footsteps had faded away, then looked at Blade. "Is she up for it?"

Blade raised an eyebrow questioningly, although they both knew who 'she' was.

"Jordane," Kyle clarified. "Don't try to deny it, I've seen how bad she's doing. Is she up for it or not?"

For a moment Blade didn't react, his gaze resting on the doorway. "She has to be," he finally replied.

Kyle frowned but didn't comment further. There wasn't really anything to say - even if Jordane wasn't up for something like this, there wasn't much they could do, anyway. Doctors were out of the question for the moment, and it was impossible to say for sure what was wrong with her. The only thing they could do was hope that it didn't get any worse, and that nothing would go wrong during the mission.

Kyle sighed. _But what are the chances of that?_

"What about Suzuka?" Blade turned his head and looked at Kyle. "Is *she* up for it?"

And maybe there was a hidden insult in it, a reminder that it wasn't just Jordane who might get them in trouble, but if there were, Kyle chose to ignore it. 

"I taught her the basics," he replied. "She can hit a target with reasonable accuracy and knows how to handle a gun."

"But will she use it?" Blade asked, cutting straight to the core of the matter. It didn't matter how much Kyle had managed to teach the girl if she wasn't willing to use it.

"Not against another person, no," Kyle admitted. "But as long as people believe she will, it won't matter." 

"And when things go to hell and we have to fight our way out, then what?" Blade snapped. "We'll need all the help we can get, and having her running around with a gun she refuses to use is not exactly helpful."

"If that happens, I'll handle it," Kyle snapped back.

"Will you?" Blade raised an eyebrow, his voice challenging. "Could you really kill someone to save your own life, Sanderson?"

For a long moment it was silent as the two stared at each other, neither willing to back down, then Kyle nodded slowly, almost imperceptibly. "Yes. I would." 

His voice was cold, determined, and for a brief second he thought he saw Blade smile faintly. Then the second had passed and Blade smirked, the gesture taunting, almost arrogant. "Good. Then I guess we don't have anything to worry about tomorrow." 

Kyle glared at him, but didn't reply with word. Instead he reached out and put the two guns back inside the camera, closing the panel afterwards, the motion a bit harder than necessary. "No. I guess we don't." 

The look he sent Blade was cold, challenging, but the other just smirked faintly again. "Let's take our own advice and get some rest," he suggested. "We'll need it tomorrow." 

Kyle paused, then nodded. He couldn't really argue against that point, and Suzuka was most likely starting to wonder where he was. 

They left the room and walked down the hallways together, under the watchful eyes of the soldiers posted sentries, occasionally drawing brief, curious looks from those who didn't know what civilians were suddenly doing in a place like this. Reaching their temporary living quarters, they paused and exchanged a look. They had nothing to say that they hadn't already spent hours arguing about, and starting another discussion just for the hell of it wouldn't help anyone. 

Blade nodded briefly at Kyle, then walked into his and Jordane's bedroom, shutting the door soundlessly behind him. Jordane was already curled up under the covers, apparently asleep, and her clothes were tossed haphazardly on a chair. Blade paused for a moment, watching her silently, before he began to take off his own clothes. He could already feel the first tiredness set in and knew that he needed to rest.

The sound of movement reached his ears, and he looked at the bed, vaguely surprised to find Jordane still awake.

"Blade..." Her voice was already sleepy, her tiredness clear, and Blade raised an eyebrow.

"Yes?" 

He looked at her, waiting for her to continue, but she merely nodded towards the table. 

Frowning slightly, Blade walked across the room and found an anonymous-looking, white envelope lying on the table, the only identification being five neatly written letters in one corner: _Heron._

Blade looked up. "Who...?"

Jordane shook her head.

"Don't know. It was there when I got back."

Blade nodded absently and picked up the envelope, weighing it in his hand. It felt heavier than paper would have...there was something inside, that much was certain. Frowning again, he opened the envelope, but found no message, just a piece of metal. He was vaguely aware that Jordane had gotten out of bed and moved closer, curious about what was going on, but his attention was focused solely on the small piece of metal he had long ago learned to recognize as a bullet.

A _used_ bullet.

And suddenly, it all started to come together with almost frightening clarity. All the comments, the questions, the doubts and suspicions...

__

"I have a situation I want you to handle." The words echoed through his mind, reminding him of the man who had been the cause of their capture. A situation he wanted them to handle...but which?

__

"...Would never go through this much trouble for one mutant, no matter how powerful their mutation might be." And Laetitia had been right, they both knew that. And Rina had only been a puppet, a diversion, he knew that, too...

Their capture had been deliberate, their lives for his, but what if their current situation wasn't a coincidence, either? Just how far did this thing go?

__

"He says he has a bullet he wants to return..."

Blade's fist clenched around the bullet, the metal digging painfully into his hand, but he didn't care. It all made sense now, and showed him a reality he did not want to see. Anger pushed aside his tiredness, and his body found renewed strength in the emotion, fuelled by the cold metal in his hand.

__

Sergey, you son of a bitch!

***


	97. Showtime

***

Chapter Seventy-Five: Showtime

***

Daryn looked at the morning sun through the window, then turned away, shuddering faintly. It was still early morning, and already the sun was burning relentlessly. It was going to be a warm day, and that didn't help the least on Daryn's mood. He was already nervous as it was, and having to suffer through a hot, humid day wouldn't make things any better.

"How are you handling it?" a familiar voice asked. 

Daryn looked up and saw Zahra watch him, a hint of concern in her dark eyes.

Daryn sighed. "I'm...handling it," he replied, his voice betraying the nervousness he felt. He really couldn't help it - he'd been in danger before, while he lived on the streets, but back them he hadn't been faced with armed guards or policemen. This was a completely new situation, and he didn't like it at all. 

Zahra snorted. "Right. You sure look that way, too."

Daryn sent her a half-hearted glare, but there was no real anger in it. She was right, they both knew that. He sighed and looked out the window again, and Zahra sat down on the couch beside him. "You up for it?" she asked, watching him carefully.

Daryn shifted uncomfortably, not turning to look at her. "I have to be, right?"

"Says who?" Zahra challenged, and Daryn finally looked at her again. "You don't even know these people," she continued. "You never even met them. You don't have to risk your life for them."

"No...I don't," Daryn replied quietly.

Zahra raised a dark eyebrow, the look in her eyes a mix of confusion and scorn at Daryn's words. "Then why are you doing this?" She shook her head. "I mean - you're four people going into this situation. The odds are..."

"Bad? Impossible?" Daryn interrupted. "Don't you think I know that? I'm not stupid, Zahra. Maybe I'm naïve to do this, yeah, but I'm not stupid."

Zahra didn't reply, but just watched him silently, still waiting for his reply. Again Daryn sighed, the gesture conveying the tiredness he felt. "I'm...I don't know. Maybe I just want to be able to look myself in the eyes tomorrow when I look in a mirror. I have the abilities to help them. If I refused to do anything, I don't think I'd ever stop feeling guilty..."

"And that's worth risking your life for?" Zahra demanded.

"Ryan thinks it'll work," Daryn pointed out.

"Ryan is desperate to get his friends back," Zahra snapped. "And desperate people make mistakes."

"And?" Daryn glared at her. "I'm going to do this, whether you agree or not, and that's all there is to it."

The ghost of a smile touched Zahra's lips and she nodded slightly. "I know. Just...be careful, okay?" She looked at him, honest concern clear in his eyes, and for a moment Daryn was silent, surprised that she actually cared. 

"I will," he promised. 

"Daryn? Zahra?" The two looked up, and found Ryan's standing in the doorway. "We have to go now."

__

Already? Daryn wanted to ask, but didn't. Instead he just nodded in agreement and got up...and stopped as he felt Zahra's hand on his own. He looked at her, curiosity in his eyes, silently asking her what was wrong, and the girl's expression grew serious. 

"Desperate people make mistakes," she repeated quietly, eyes flickering briefly to the door where Ryan waited. "Don't forget that." 

Daryn smiled faintly, oddly comforted by her concern. "I won't." 

For a moment neither moved, then Zahra nodded and let go of Daryn's hand, the motion almost reluctant. "All right...let's go, then." 

She got up from the couch, and Daryn paused for a moment, then nodded and followed her out of the room.

* **

The atmosphere in the room was heavy and uncomfortable, but it wasn't because of the heat outside. The air conditioning made the room pleasantly cool, but none of the four paid any attention to it. Up until yesterday, this hadn't seemed real - it had felt like a twisted nightmare, one they could wake up from at any moment, but now...now, the full reality of the situation had finally hit them, bringing with it an uncomfortable silence. None of them felt like talking - except for a few, brief orders or questions, the room had been silent, each moment feeling like an eternity. 

Jordane sat on one of the two couches, one hand playing with her newly dyed brown hair, a frown clear on her face. It had been impossible to miss her sulking earlier that morning, undoubtedly a result of her very reluctant change of hair color, but that sulking was long gone, replaced by worry and a restlessness that Kyle recognized from himself. 

He'd watched her carefully, looking for any sign that something was wrong, but except for her paleness, she seemed to be doing all right, at least for the time being. With a little luck it would remain that way, but unfortunately, luck had not been on their side recently. 

A glint of movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention, and Kyle looked up, watching as Suzuka sat down beside him. She shifted restlessly, then sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, and Kyle put his arm around her, trying to comfort her a bit. 

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, almost unwilling to break the heavy silence. 

Suzuka sighed again. "Yeah..." she replied, her voice as quiet as his. "I just hate waiting."

Kyle nodded. He understood perfectly how she felt - just sitting there, waiting, was starting to get on his nerves as well. They had done everything they could to make sure that things would go well, and now he just wanted to get it over with. 

They fell silent again, and Kyle continued his slow survey of the room, going through his mental checklist once more to make sure that there wasn't something they'd forgotten when they made the plans. Blade was checking the weapons one last time before placing them inside the cameras, making sure that there was nothing suspicious that the guards might pick up on. He didn't seem nervous, but there was still a hint of the same restlessness as Kyle recognized in himself. Blade looked up for a moment, his eyes meeting Kyle's, then walked over to Jordane. 

Kyle watched them silently, still adding to the mental folder he had on them, absently stroking Suzuka's arm.

Blade sat down in the couch with Jordane, his eyes never leaving her. The unsaid question was clear, and it told Kyle beyond any doubt that he wasn't the only one who'd keep an eye on the girl.

Jordane looked up, meeting Blade's gaze without blinking, and then quite deliberately stuck out her tongue at him. 

Blade smiled wryly at the childish gesture. "Cute. Real cute," he replied, and Jordane sent him a smug smile.

Kyle hid a smile with his hand, oddly thankful for the small break in the tension. Any distraction was welcome, even when it was something like that. That, and it helped him feel a bit better about the situation with Jordane - if she could respond like that, there was at least a chance that she would get through the day without her health taking a turn for the worse.

The sound of footsteps approaching the door tore through the heavy silence and made the four look up. The door was opened by two of the soldiers, and Kyle felt a brief pang of relief that the waiting was finally over. He got up from the couch, giving Suzuka's hand a reassuring squeeze, earning him a pale smile from her. He exchanged a brief look with Blade, then grabbed one of the cameras and headed for the door.

__

Showtime.

***

With the exception of those who had worked with it, very few people knew just how much work it took back stage to set up a press conference of that magnitude. A lot of people saw the result and the speech on their TVs at home, but that was only the surface. Beneath the polished exterior lay hours of hard work. Lights, loudspeakers, microphones. Technical equipment by the dozen, each more complicated than the previous. Connections and switches, and miles and miles of cables. All of it had to fit together, and all of it had to work, and preferably before the speech began. It was stressful enough in a normal situation, and this time things had gotten even worse.

"I wish they'd get the hell out of our way," Nathan grumbled and sent one of the guards a less than overjoyed look, before he took a sip of his coffee. Him and his colleagues had been up since before dawn to work on this thing, and he was already at his third cup of coffee. His stomach would hate him later, he knew that, but hell, there was no chance he was getting through the whole day without coffee.

"They're just trying to do their job," Marcus reminded him, taking a sip of his own coffee. "Just gotta remind them to get out of the way sometimes."

"But we have a job to do, too, and we can't *do* that job if they keep stepping on the cables," Nathan complained. "They can do their job all they want, as long as they stay away from us."

"Which they won't," Sasha added. "I've lost count of the times they've walked over to me and asked what I was doing. It's a cable, for crying out loud - it's not like I'm just waiting for a chance to strangle someone with it."

"I told one of them that the electrons in the cable could interfere with his headset, and that prolonged expose could make him sterile," Marcus admitted, fighting back a smug grin. "They've left me alone since then."

"You're shitting me!" Sasha exclaimed, then lowered her voice, giggling in a way that was completely at odds with the heavy, and anything but feminine work-clothes she wore. "He actually believed you?"

Marcus nodded, still with a smug grin on his face. "Yup. Should try it - might work for you, too."

Nathan grinned. Yeah, it was worth a try - not only were the guards even more annoying than usual, there were also a lot more of them than he was used to. Whoever was in charge of security had to be suffering from paranoia or something - it just wasn't normal to hire this many guards to protect one damn politician. 

But hell...security wasn't his problem. His problem was the lights and microphones, and they still had a long way to go before they were done. He sighed and downed the remaining coffee, and then got up. "Let's get back to work, people. We still have a job to do, and we need it done now."

__

And if those guards don't get out of my way soon, I might try Marcus' idea after all.

***


	98. No Man's Land

Ageless, babe, I don't know what I would have done without you. *amused* Probably deleted the story by now ;)

A/N: Bunny Angel: *blinks* Wow...anyone who actually starts to read a fic with 99 chapters has my outmost respect. *grins* And hey, the chapter list make even *me* cringe when I see it ^^. And you're more than welcome to e-mail me with suggestions - I might even use some of them ^^

***

Chapter Seventy-Six: No Man's Land

***

The camera felt heavier than it really was, dragging down Ryan as they approached the building, growing increasingly heavier with each step they took. It was psychological, he knew that, a figment of his imagination, but still it didn't help on the feeling. He reached out carefully with his mind, brushing lightly against the thoughts of the humans around him, but found no sign of danger. Curiosity from some, annoyance at the many guards from others, but no thoughts directed at himself or the three with him. Still, he wouldn't help the feeling of paranoia - he had a constant feeling of being watched by someone, and even though he could sense that nobody was after them, it still didn't help on his mood.

"Calm down...if you keep looking around like that, someone's going to get suspicious," Hal told him, keeping her voice low enough not to attract attention.

Ryan nodded and forced himself to suppress the feelings of paranoia. It wasn't easy when you felt like a walking target, but he knew that Hal was right - they needed to act perfectly normal, otherwise someone might get suspicious. And the last thing they wanted was to be discovered - the others were nearby, but if it got to a fight, it was still doubtful that the backup would be able to get there in time.

Ryan sent a brief look at Daryn who walked beside him, checking on the boy. He seemed to be doing well, showing no visible signs of nervousness, even though Ryan could sense the tense feelings radiate from the boy, without even trying to. Feeling his own paranoia kick up a notch as they approached the entrance, Ryan forced himself to calm down once more, then handed his camera to a guard and walked through the metal detector. He watched as the others followed, tensing for a moment as Zach went through. He half expected the boy to try to smuggle some sort of weapon inside the building, but thankfully nothing happened. For a moment he watched the guards ahead as they checked the IDs of the various reporters, then turned to Hal.

"I hope you got the right papers for us," he remarked quietly, his voice barely audible above the noise that surrounded them.

"You know, so do I," Hal replied, her voice every bit as quiet, then sent one of the guards a flirtatious smile as she handed him her ID. The guard checked the card and flipped through the papers, sending curious looks at the pale girl in front of him. 

Ryan felt himself tense again, suddenly worried that bringing Hal along might not be a good idea afterwards, but relaxed a bit as he saw that the guard who checked his own ID seemed too busy watching Hal to pay much attention to the papers in his hand.

The guard handed Ryan the papers, and motioned down a wide hallway. "It's that way, just follow the signs," he instructed, his attention already on the next person in the line. 

Behind him, Hal accepted her own papers with another smile, before heading over to Ryan and the two others. "Told you so, didn't I?" she asked, not without a certain smugness in her voice.

Zach smiled wryly. "Yes, you did. And I'm sure we'll have to hear that for days to come," he replied, smirking at Hal's mock-glare. 

Ryan sent the two a pointed look, although he had to admit to himself that the break in tension was welcome. "Let's go. We have a job to do."

Hal nodded, switching back to the calm professional again without missing a beat, and headed down the hallway with the others. 

***

Jordane clenched the fabric of her jacket for a moment, her knuckles turning white as she tried to force the discomfort aside. She wasn't sure exactly what the drugs had done to her, but whatever it was, it wasn't good. Her body had never shown any signs of allergies towards the various other drugs she'd been exposed to over the years, but this one...she slowly let go of her jacket as the nausea passed, and she allowed herself to relax slightly again. She knew from experience that as soon as things got rolling, the adrenaline would take care of this, but right now she felt downright miserable.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Blade asked quietly, and reached out to stroke her cheek lightly, a faint frown crossing his face as he felt her temperature. Even through the cool air from the air conditioning in the van he could still feel the touch of fever on her skin.

"No...I'm not," Jordane finally replied, for the first time really admitting to herself that something was wrong. Up until now she'd tried to ignore it, then pretend that it would get better with a bit of rest, but now it had reached a point where she'd giving up on denying. Something was wrong, she knew that.

"One we get out of this, you need to see a doctor," Blade continued, still watching her carefully.

"*If* we get out of this," Jordane corrected, her mood taking a turn for the worse thanks to the constant discomfort. 

Blade smiled faintly, the hint of a confidence that didn't belong in a situation like theirs. "We'll get out of this, Queen. Trust me."

"I do," Jordane replied, then sighed. "But...we're alone in this. Suzuka's useless, and Kyle-"

"-Isn't entirely a lost cause," Blade finished. "And we've survived worse on our own. This shouldn't prove too much of a problem."

Jordane sent him a pale smile, not entirely believing his words, but comforted by them nonetheless. They *had* survived some bad situations before, and at least they had a chance of getting out of this, however small that chance may be. 

Another light touch against her cheek, and Jordane looked at him again. 

"Just a few more hours, and we'll get you to a doctor, all right?" Blade said quietly. "Just a few more hours."

Jordane nodded slowly, and Blade felt a bit of his concern fade away. Much as Jordane could act like a teenager she was whenever they were home from a job, she could also push aside all signs of childish behavior when they had something to do. And right now was definitely one of those times. 

One of the soldiers opened the door to the van, and the two mutants stepped outside, waiting for a moment before Kyle and Suzuka appeared from the other of the two vans. Blade lifted his camera, quickly checking the fake panel again, making sure that nothing had been damaged during the ride.

One of the other soldiers - dressed in civilian clothes to fit in - motioned towards the building. "Let's go."

The four mutants exchanged a brief look, then grabbed their equipment and followed him. 

***

From the outside she looked calm, confident even, ignoring the brief, curious looks she drew as she crossed the room with the three others. But if only to herself, she had to admit that she was feeling nervous. This wasn't exactly a safe situation, and even though she and Zach had been in a lot of dangerous situations over the past couple of years, this was different. Up until now, either Blade or Laetitia had always been in charge, and although Hal had watched and learned how to deal with situations like these, there was still a hint of uncertainty in her mind. Because while she knew what to do, she still didn't have the experience to back it up. Walking into a situation like this made her all too aware of the fact that she was still just eighteen, and what worse was - she was likely to be the one of the four with the most experience in something like this. Daryn had no idea of what to do, and Ryan...while she'd come to like and respect him, she also knew that he had no knowledge of this kind of thing. He was a good guy, and good guys had nothing to do on the wrong side of the law.

And Zach? Hal looked at her friend, the hint of a soft smile touching her lips. He was a wonderful guy, and a good fighter, but she still knew that he didn't have what it took to take charge in a situation like this. Honor had always meant a lot to him, and much as Hal hated to admit it, that honor was also likely to make him blind to options that might save his life. Neither Hal nor Zach agreed with cold-blooded dismissal of human lives as Blade and Nike did, but unlike Zach, Hal knew it was sometimes necessary.

And with Zach out of the question, that left...her. Hal shook her head. She had never wanted to become a leader, and she most definitely didn't want to be responsible for other people's lives. But at the moment she didn't have a choice, and she knew that all too well. 

With a faint sigh she stopped with the others, and prepared for the long wait before they were let inside the conference room.

***

The entrance was at the back of the building, just below the ground, probably meant for delivery or as a fire exit. Whatever it was, it wasn't guarded, and one of the soldiers swiftly unlocked the door. Reluctantly the four mutants followed the humans inside the building, hearing the door shut behind them. This particular floor was silent, and mostly used for storage, as far as Kyle remembered from the blueprints. It was the perfect place to sneak inside, and he had to wonder if the security people in the building hadn't thought of it. But then again...maybe their military guards dogs had handled that. Considering the lack of a guard outside, Kyle wouldn't be surprised. 

The camera in his hand felt heavy, constantly reminding him of the situation they were getting into. He knew he shouldn't give up hope, that there was still a chance of getting out, but he still couldn't help the depressing thoughts - if something went wrong, there were dozens of guards inside the room, and if they didn't hit them, Kyle had no doubts that the ever-present collars around their necks would do the job. And if Ryan was there, too, there was a real risk that he might get killed, too. 

The thought sent a stab of fear through him, but he forced it aside - if he allowed his worry to get control, it would only make the situation worse, and that was something they couldn't afford. Partially out of fear, partially out of a need for reassurance Kyle reached out with his mind, hoping that the mental bond between him and Ryan would still be strong enough to reach the other. With the worry and fear and anger to cloud his mind it was quite possible that the mental whisper might drown in the other emotions, but he had to try. A slow, calming breath, and Kyle felt his body relax before he focused on the memory of his friend. 

__

Ryan...

***

The word was soft, barely audible, and all but lost in the chaos around them, but it was still enough to catch Ryan's attention and make his head snap up. 

__

Kyle? He asked, already knowing the answer - he knew his friend, knew how his mental presence felt, and even the mere knowledge that he was there was enough to make Ryan feel better.

__

Hey... the reply was followed by a wry smile, clear even though they couldn't see each other, and Ryan smiled faintly, reaching out with his trust and care and devotion, doing what he could to chase away the dark thoughts in Kyle's mind. 

"Ryan?" Hal watched him, red eyes curious, and Ryan nodded, responding to the unvoiced question.

"They're here."

***


	99. Ring of Fire

A/N 1: [insert very long, very boring definition of 'stuff', ranging from plotbunnies to flames] can be send to hack_heaven@usa.net. Yes, that's an e-mail address. No, I don't bite ^^

Fortune the Muse: *sighs* The writer would love to reply to the comments, but is temporarily brain-dead thanks to this chapter. *wry smile* We hope to get her back to normal soon, though.

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

/.../ indicates Hal's use of her powers

***

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Ring of Fire

***

Daryn shifted slightly, uncomfortably, eyes scanning the crowd with a nervousness he had to fight to keep from showing. There were too many people, too many guards, too many things that could go wrong, and he couldn't help but second-guess his decision. 

It had seemed so logical earlier - it had been the right thing to do, hadn't it? They needed his help, his powers, and that did give him a certain moral obligation to help. Laetitia had helped him and Zahra, too, instead of leaving them behind. The least he could do in return was to help her teammates - and especially the two that was currently stuck in the hands of the military. After all, it was them Laetitia had tried to save, and died trying. The least he could do was to finish where she had failed. 

Well, that, and get the chance to take a look at the leaders of the team Zahra seemed so intend on joining. She was his friend, and he wasn't about to let her do something stupid. And joining a group of criminals most definitely belonged in that category.

Beside him he saw Ryan move slightly, eyes resting on one of the doors, and Daryn felt the brief touch of a mental presence at the edge of his awareness. 

__

They're here. The door at the right side of the room.

Daryn looked up, his eyes following the four people that made their way into the room. Dressed in fairly casual clothes and carrying the same kind of equipment as most of the other people in the room, they barely looked out of place - only the age of the two girls hinted that they were not part of the official news crews.

As Daryn watched, the four slowly, casually made their way across the room, towards himself and the other three. The names he'd heard so often in the past few days finally got a physical image to go with them, and Daryn followed them closely as they approached, already taking in their appearance, judging what he saw.

"Hal..." there was a touch of worry in Zach's voice, and Daryn sent him a brief look, before following his eyes to the older of the girls.

Hal nodded, but didn't comment, a frown crossing her face before disappearing beneath the facade once more, and Daryn felt his own worry kick up a notch. Now that the four had come closer, the older of the girls - Jordane, Daryn mentally reminded himself - looked pale, too pale to be healthy, and the others' reaction only served to confirm that something was wrong. 

The four came closer, and Daryn saw a faint smile linger on Ryan's lips before the telepath took a step closer. "Kyle..." His relief was clear, that one word saying everything that Ryan had been forced to push aside - worry, fear, relief, joy - and for a moment, Daryn could have sworn he felt the emotions himself, radiating from Ryan.

Kyle lit up, some of his dark thoughts fading for a moment at the sight of Ryan, and Daryn saw Hal tense slightly.

__

Why... he frowned, but cut off the thought as realization struck. _We might be watched...but in that case there are too many people around here to keep an eye on just four of them. _

And Hal had probably realized the same thing as she slowly relaxed again and moved towards the four as well. Blade raised an eyebrow, watching her for a moment, and Hal sent him a faint smile in reply, telling him without words that things were under control. 

Jordane moved closer, and Blade put his arm around her waist, his hand resting lightly on her hip, and for the first time Daryn had the chance to get a good look at the two people who would most likely be responsible for Zahra's future safety.

In all honesty, he wasn't sure what he'd expected - he'd heard Ryan's side of the story, but nice as Ryan was, he was probably biased. And the members of the Shadow Alliance? These two people were their leaders - of course they were biased, too. He was vaguely aware that Ryan greeted Suzuka, embracing the girl gently, asking her something in a soft voice, but his main attention was still on the members of Zahra's future team.

"Is it true what happened to Nike?" Blade voice was calm, even, and Hal nodded slightly, a faint sigh escaping her lips. 

"Yes. She died when the prison blew up...I'm sorry," she replied, a hint of real regret in her voice.

"And the others?" Blade continued, his voice still calm, still even, and still with no signs of grief showing.

"They're okay...they got out safely," Hal said, keeping her voice low enough not to attract attention. "Pheonix and Jhonen are taking it pretty bad, but Aaron's fine."

Blade nodded slowly in reply, mentally filing away the information, and Daryn watched them carefully, judging what he'd just heard. The man had showed concern for his team, yes, but...it wasn't natural to take the news of someone's death that calmly. No, they couldn't allow themselves to attract any attention, but still - not even his voice had showed the faintest hint of grief. Daryn frowned. And still...he'd shown concern about the others, and he did it before asking Daryn to get rid of the collars. One for, one against...Daryn sighed. Why did things have to get complicated now, of all times?

"Daryn."

Daryn looked up, meeting Ryan's eyes, and nodded slightly, already drawing on his powers. He could feel a persistent hum in the back of his head, undoubtedly caused by the large amount of electronic equipment around him, and he forced away the sound, pushing it back to focus on the collars instead.

With nothing physical to focus on, no metal to touch, it was harder than normal to concentrate, and even find the presence he was looking for. The soft song of the collars was almost drowned out by the heavier hum of the cameras and he shook his head, trying to clear it.

A slow, calming breath, trying to focus, and he managed to pinpoint the first of the collars, its faint song soothing the headache that was already biting at the edge of his awareness. 

__

Deactivate. The word was soft, gentle, afraid to accidentally anger the small machine, and the reply came almost instantly, a curious presence greeting him.

There were no words, just the feeling of a question, and Daryn repeated his request. _Deactivate._

This time he was greeted by a vaguely stubborn feeling, and he got the distinct impression of a sulking child, unwilling to stop playing. He sighed. _Please?_ The soft song faded for a moment as the entity in the collar considered his words, then slowly, also reluctantly, the faint sound died out completely as the collar deactivated, and Daryn drew a relieved breath.

There was a faint click as the collar around Suzuka's neck opened, and she took it off with an almost wary expression, before sending Daryn a brief, thankful look.

Daryn closed his eyes, focusing again, this time having a much easier time isolating the collars, now that he knew what to look for. Again he was met by the stubborn, almost childish entities, but a few, polite words, and he was rewarded with the faint clicks of the collars opening as they were deactivated. He shook his head again, doing what he could to force the headache aside before looking at the others again.

"Good job," Ryan said quietly, a grateful smile on his lips, and Kyle nodded in agreement, rubbing his neck where the collar had rested.

"Yeah...thank you," he agreed, watching Daryn with a curious look for a moment, before turning his attention to Suzuka again, making sure that the girl was okay.

Daryn shrugged, uncomfortable with sudden attention he got. He knew it was only natural - they didn't know him, only his mutant power, and of course they would be curious about this new addition to the groups.

"Let's go." Blade's words were more of an order than a suggestion, and Hal hesitated for the briefest of seconds before nodding in reply. It wasn't much, but was there, and it was long enough for Daryn to notice. He knew that control of the Shadow Alliance had just shifted back from Hal to Blade, but the brief moment of hesitation was still enough to make him frown. 

Obviously, he wasn't the only one who had noticed it, as Blade sent the girl a long, measured look, raising an eyebrow slightly in a silent question. Hal raised her head and met his gaze without blinking, and Daryn could almost feel the sudden tension between them.

"We're not leaving now."

The words cut through the air, and Blade turned his head slightly to look at Ryan, annoyance in his eyes. "And why not?"

"We're not finished here - we have to warn the senator about this," Ryan replied, his voice every bit as hard as Blade's had been, and it became obvious to Daryn that the others hadn't exaggerated - Ryan and Blade hated each other, there was no other way to put it. 

"To what use? He's dead, anyway - sooner or later they'll get him, whether we warn him or not. We're leaving now, while we still can."

"We can't just leave," Ryan objected. "He's working for *our* cause, and the least we can do in return is to warn him."

"And risk our own lives?" This time it was Jordane who replied, and Daryn turned his attention to her, already adding to his mental file. "He's been marked - they'll kill him no matter what we do," she argued. 

"And that justifies leaving an innocent man to die?" Ryan demanded icily. 

"Yes." Blade's reply was curt and brutal, cutting straight through Ryan's arguments. He lowered his voice and continued, the words every bit as cold as Ryan's had been. "If you insist, you can stay here and play hero, but I will *not* let endanger my team. We're leaving now, and if you want to stay here, I couldn't care less. But I can assure you one thing: they *will* kill you. You, and Sanderson, and whoever else is stupid enough to stay."

Ryan paused at the sound of Kyle's name, feeling his determination falter, and Blade continued, taking advantage of the brief hesitation. "Is that what you want? You just risked the lives of four people to get him back - are you really going to let him be killed now?"

Ryan frowned. He hated himself for admitting it, but Blade had a point. Staying here would mean endangering himself and the others, and he knew that Kyle wouldn't leave, even if he asked him to. And he didn't just have Kyle to think about - there was also Suzuka, and Daryn, who he had come to think of as a part of his team. Their safety had to be considered, too, and if he decided to stay and warn the senator, their lives would be in danger, too.

__

One life for four...

He didn't like the choice he would have to make, and most of all he hated the fact that he already knew the outcome. He couldn't risk it. He couldn't risk getting Kyle and Suzuka and Daryn killed - he had a responsibility to live up to, and he wouldn't allow them to get killed. But the price for his choice would be the life of an innocent person, whose only crime was to go against the system. He was already marked, yes, but still...couldn't a warning have made a different? Given him enough time to prevent the military from succeeding next time?

"Ryan?"

Ryan looked up, his eyes meeting Kyle's, oddly comforted by the trust he saw in them. Kyle trusted him to keep them safe, trusted him to keep them out of danger, and that responsibility he wouldn't allow himself to fail.

"We're leaving," Ryan finally replied, and only Kyle heard the note of regret in his voice, revealing the dilemma he'd faced. 

For a moment Suzuka looked like she wanted to object, but then nodded slowly, realizing the logic behind his decision. She didn't like it anymore than he did, but in this case, they didn't have much of a choice. 

"We should bring the cameras along...that'll make people less likely to ask what we're doing here," Ryan continued, frowning slightly as he considered their options. "With a little luck, we should be able to get out of here without any problems." 

"What about the collars?" Suzuka asked, eyeing the metal band in Kyle's hand. Ryan watched the collars for a moment, but before he could reply, Blade cut him off.

"Will they detonate?" he asked Daryn, and the boy shook his head.

"No, not unless I turn them back on. Right now they're deactivated, and even if someone pushes the button, nothing will happen."

"And *can* you activate them again?" 

Daryn nodded. "Yes. There's still an awareness in them...if I tell them to activate again, they'll do it, I think."

Blade shrugged. "Then we bring them along. If we run into trouble, we'll need all the help we can get."

__

And, Daryn asked silently. _We're bound to run into trouble, aren't we? Otherwise, you wouldn't have bothered with the collars._ He considered asking it out loud, but decided against it - it wouldn't do much good, anyway, other than take up valuable time they didn't have.

"Guys...we have to leave. Now." Hal's voice was low and urgent, and the brief look she sent the doors wasn't lost on any of them.

"What's going on?" Zach asked, his worry clear. "Did you see anything?"

Hal shook her head. "No, but look around - people have started to settle down and finished preparing the cameras. If we wait much longer, someone's going to get suspicious if we suddenly leave right before the speech begins."

The argument seemed to get through to the others as Ryan and Blade exchanged a brief look, and came to the silent conclusion that their personal issues would have to wait until they were well away from the building. 

They picked up the cameras and the rest of the equipment, and slowly, deliberately casual, they made their way towards the doors. They drew a few, curious looks, but nothing more - most of the other people were too busy to wonder about the group, and that was something they were grateful for. One of the guards watched them as they left the room, but didn't comment, more than used to the odd behavior of reporters in general. If the odd group planned to cause any trouble, someone else would handle that, he was sure of that. 

"Down this hallway, and to the left," Ryan said quietly. "That's where we got in. We'll probably have the best chance of getting out there."

They continued further down the hallway, the place growing increasingly empty as they got further away from the conference room. Most people were gathered in that area, and with the exception of a few guards, nobody had much to do in the hallway at this time.

Blade took a brief look around, checking for any guards nearby, and then looked at the young albino. "Hal."

The girl nodded, knowing what Blade asked of her, and she paused briefly, closing her eyes. It had become easier recently, somehow. She wasn't sure why - the added practice, maybe, or the almost constant danger they were in, but whatever reason, she was grateful for it. 

She reached out, mental hands shifting easily through the timelines until she found the ones she had been looking for. Another slow, calming breath, and she carefully reached out with her mind, removing the mental dam that usually kept her mind protected from her powers. The reaction was instant, images and sounds and possibilities flooding her mind, and she clenched her fists tightly, trying to get the images under control.

/-gunshots, bullets; looking for cover and finding none and-/

/-too many, too soon; shouldn't have been there, they weren't-/

/-a trap, it had to be; the exit blocked; the sticky feeling of blood on her hand and-/

Hal's eyes snapped open and she drew a sharp breath, her pulse racing as her body sent a kick of adrenaline into her blood, reacting to the danger it sensed. 

"Hal!" Zach's voice was urgent, worry, and Hal took a deep, shaky breath, trying to get the frantic beating of her heart under control.

"We're trapped," she whispered, her voice still unsteady. "They already alerted the police."

"What do you mean?" Blade demanded. "They wouldn't have done it this early - they want to keep it realistic. Are you sure you didn't look too far ahead?"

"I'm sure...it's not just in one timeline, it's in all of them. They alerted the police," Hal repeated, her mind slowly clearing up again. "They alerted the police and called in a SWAT team, and...they're already here." She paused, acutely aware of the sudden silence her words had brought, and then continued, her voice barely a whisper. "We're trapped."

***


	100. Dante's Inferno

A/N 1: [insert very long, very boring definition of 'stuff', ranging from plotbunnies to flames] can be send to hack_heaven@usa.net. Yes, that's an e-mail address. No, I don't bite ^^

A/N 2: Bunny Angel: That'll be explained in one of the upcoming chapters ^^ Trust me ;)

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Seventy-Eight: Dante's Inferno

***

For a moment it was completely silent, Hal's words still echoing in their minds as they caught up with the implications of what she'd just said. 

"Shit!" Zach was the first to break the silence, his angry curse summing up the thoughts that went through everyone's heads. They had been this close to getting away safely, without putting themselves into further risk, and then...

"How many?" Blade's question was curt, his own anger suppressed until they were out of danger, knowing from painful experiences that any decisions ruled by anger could very well be fatal.

Hal hesitated, a frown marring her face as she remembered her visions. "Two teams, as far as I can see. One at the front, one guarding the back door. Maybe more...I'm not sure."

"Weaponry?" 

"Standard." Hal's reply was automatic, the question anticipated. She knew the drill, knew what her teammates needed to know, and had learned look for it the first time around, rather than having to use her powers again. "I saw tranquilizers, too, but that's to be expected."

"You said the back door was guarded?" This time the question was from Ryan, and Hal nodded. "So they've been warned that we might try to leave that way," Ryan concluded with a sigh. "Damn."

"And that's probably not the only thing they've been warned about," Kyle said, frowning. "They probably have our files, too."

Blade smiled faintly, but the humor never reached his eyes. "Of course they have. They're not stupid. They know exactly what to expect from us. The only advantage we have here, is the fact that they only expect the four of us. They don't know we're not alone."

"And we can get there others here, too," Ryan added, then continued at the questioning looks he got from the four. "They're nearby...if I contact them, they should be able to get here within a couple of minutes."

Blade nodded. "Good. We'll need the backup. The cops expect us to show up - we can't get away unnoticed." _We'll have to fight our way out._ The unsaid remark hung heavily in the air, all of them very much aware that there would be no easy way to get out of this. The only option left was to fight, and the chances did not look good. "We'll need a distraction once we get out of here, though." 

Pale eyes turned to Zach, and the boy nodded before heading over to a window, taking a casual look outside. His eyes scanned the area, judging the distance from the entrance to any useful objects within reach, and he nodded slowly. "I can hit a couple of the cars - they're close enough for that."

Ryan frowned at the words, and walked over to Zach, surveying the area as well, not looking for the vehicles, but for the people who operated them, his eyes coming to rest on the SWAT team that was getting ready. Hal had been right - they'd already been there, but they had been hiding in the dark vans among the police cars, efficiently preventing anyone from noticing them before it was too late. "Even if I knock out the guards by the entrance, I should still have enough strength left to knock out the first of the SWAT team - them, and some of the police-men. The back-up team is too far away to reach, but knocking the closest ones unconscious will buy us some more time."

Blade nodded, reluctantly agreeing to Ryan's idea. He didn't at all like to admit that Ryan might be useful after all, but in this case he couldn't argue against it. Besides...they would need all the help they could get.

He set the camera on the floor and removed the guns, then did the same thing with Kyle's camera, before handing one of the guns to Jordane. He tossed another to Hal, which she easily caught, and then he paused before handing the last one to Kyle. Zach wouldn't have much use for a gun in this situation - he needed his hands free to use his powers, and the kind of energy needed for this kind of thing was likely to leave him too drained to aim properly. Kyle accepted the weapon with a slightly surprised look, but didn't comment - he was the best choice that was left, they both knew that. 

"So we blast our way out?" Hal asked, frowning slightly.

Blade raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?" he asked, watching the girl.

Hal paused for a moment before replying, knowing that for once, Blade wasn't referring to her powers. The comment had held something - a nuance that hadn't been there before, his voice just a bit colder, more challenging, too faint a change to pick up unless you were looking for it. This was solely about control, and Hal wasn't stupid enough to challenge that. 

"No." She looked away briefly, backing down, and Blade nodded slowly. 

"Good." His eyes rested on her for a moment longer before looking away, and Hal realized that just as she knew that she'd changed over the past week, Blade had noticed it, too, and seen something new in her that he didn't like at all.

Ryan moved closer, the motion breaking the suddenly tense atmosphere between Hal and Blade, and he sent the two a pointed look. "Let's go."

For a moment Blade looked like he was going to object, more out of principles than anything else, but settled for a brief, annoyed glare at Ryan before looking at his teammates again. "Zach."

The boy snapped up, knowing what was being asked of him, and the first, faint tingle in his hand appeared as he drew on his powers, small, blue snakes of electricity appearing, caressing his hand as they moved.

A grim smile crossed his lips as he headed down the hallway, towards the entrance. He was only vaguely aware of the others following him, most of his attention focused on his powers. It wouldn't be easy - the cars were a bit away, and the blots of energy quickly lost power once he'd thrown them at something. Summoning enough energy to make the blots strong enough to make the cars explode would take all the concentration he could spare. 

The first, dull throbbing appeared under his skin, growing increasingly stronger as the small, blue snakes grew larger, more demanding, their touch biting painfully into his skin.

They turned around a corner and found themselves in the lobby, but before the guards could react to the danger that Zach so obviously posed, they collapsed on the ground, hit by an invisible force. For a second Zach felt something touch his mind, numbing it momentarily as Ryan's control almost slipped, then faded, leaving his head clear again.

The pain grew stronger, and Zach clenched his fists, hoping to distract himself from the constant bites he felt from the energy he'd summoned. He knew it would leave burns this time - there was no way it couldn't - but it didn't matter. The only thing he could focus on was the raw energy in his hand, and the knowledge that if he failed, his failure was likely to cost them all their chance of escape.

"Zach..."

Hal's warning as they approached the door sounded muted and oddly distant as it fought its way through the haze of pain that engulfed Zach's mind, and he was only vaguely aware that he nodded in reply. He stopped just before he reached the door, the walls still obscuring the vision of the cops outside, then felt the searing air hit him hard as the doors opened. There was no rational thought behind his motions, only instinctive movements, a drop of sweat rolling down his forehead as he focused one last time, then unleashed the blot, and-

-The roar was deafening as a white van across the street exploded, for a brief second completely surrounded by bright blue energy, before the biting snakes reached the fuel-tank, sending a cloud of debris and burning fuel into the air, completely engulfing the car beside it.

The cops reacted instantly, guns drawn, but before they could fire, they collapsed on the ground, struck down by the same invisible force that had claimed the guards in the lobby.

"Go!"

Zach felt Hal grab him, dragging him out the door, his mind still covered in the haze of pain, his every movement feeling slow and clumsy as his body reacted to the sudden loss of strength. Hal all but dragged him along, trying to snap him out of his daze before the remaining cops arrived - they were still too far away from any cover, too exposed if anything happened. The sound of gunshots pierced the air, and Hal tensed, expecting to feel the pain of a bullet tearing through flesh and bones, but as she looked up, she saw the bullets frozen in the air mere feet away from her. 

She looked at Kyle, silent gratitude in her eyes, then turned her attention to the approaching cops again, seeing several of them collapse on the ground - some as Ryan sent another mindbolt at them, others as Blade and Jordane raised their own guns and fired at the humans.

They reached the undamaged cars across the street, taking cover for a moment, and Hal was grateful to see that Zach was finally starting to clear up enough to become aware of his surroundings again.

"The others should be here any moment," Ryan reported, part of his mind constantly aware of the others' location.

"We'll need a distraction, then," Blade decided, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Zach - can you handle one more car?"

Zach looked up, the haze slowly fading from his mind and he nodded, against his better judgement. He'd never pushed his body this far before, but he didn't have much of a choice. He drew on his powers again, feeling the pain bite into his skin as the electric snakes appeared. Time seemed to stop as the energy grew stronger and Zach got up, only vaguely aware of the bullets that Kyle had frozen in the air before they could hit. He clenched his fists tightly again, then sent the second bolt of energy towards a police car, hearing the roar of an explosion as it hit. He gasped as the energy left him, almost too drained to remain standing, the sound of screaming and of gunshots only a dull hum in his ears.

"They're here!" Ryan's words cut through the chaos around them and Blade's head snapped up, eyes coming to rest on the two vans that turned around a corner. "The others are nearby - they'll meet up with us later," Ryan continued, answering the unasked question. 

The two vehicles came to a screeching halt, and Hal got up, all but dragging Zach with her, pushing him into one of the cars, all too aware of how exhausted the boy was. Blade looked at them, quickly checking that the two were safe, he himself already moving towards the other van with Jordane. Another couple of gunshots, and Kyle froze the bullets again, the strain starting to become visible in his motions, too, his reactions slower, the bullets getting just a bit closer each time. Finally they reached the relative safety of the second van, and quickly got inside, Kyle deliberately waiting until the others were clear, keeping the last, few bullets from hitting. 

Finally he got into the van and closed the door hard behind him, and Ben sent his teammates a brief look in the rear-view mirror before hitting the speeder, getting away as fast as possible. 

Blade didn't notice any of it, though, his attention completely on Jordane who was resting against him, her skin warm against his.

__

Too pale... He stroked her cheek, and she looked at him, her eyes blank and not completely focused. 

"Blade...?" Her mind was spinning, an odd numbness biting at the edge of her awareness, leaving behind a blissful sense of nothingness. She tried to fight against the darkness, but her mind was too exhausted to do much to keep it at bay. She made one last try at fighting it back, for a moment almost succeeding...and then there was only darkness.

***


	101. Last Day of Innocence

A/N 1: [insert very long, very boring definition of 'stuff', ranging from plotbunnies to flames] can be send to hack_heaven@usa.net. Yes, that's an e-mail address. No, I don't bite ^^

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Seventy-Nine: Last Day of Innocence

***

Daryn gasped, his lung burning from his fast breaths, adrenaline clouding his mind, making him dizzy, the rough blanket on the floor of the van digging into his palms. Emotions hammered against his usually so calm mind; confusion, fear, anger, panic, all caused by the danger he now found himself in.

Acting on instincts he never knew he had, Daryn got up, looking out of the dusty windows in the back of the van, barely aware of Hal's presence beside him, his mind still too unused to this kind of situation to focus on much at a time. 

The sound of the engine mixed with the shouting outside, dark, heavy smoke from the cars clouding the sky, flames still licking up, caressing scorched metal, the unpleasant smell of burning fuel and plastic still stuck to his clothes, the sound of gunshots still ringing in his ears, and-

"Daryn!" Hal voice snapped though his daze as he continue to stare out the dusty glass in bewilderment, and he tried to focus on her but still...there was something, a nagging feeling of unease in the back of his mind that wouldn't let him look away. His eyes narrowed, watching the rapidly diminishing silhouettes among the smoke, and suddenly he saw something move, a brief flare of light, then something approaching the van fast, and his eyes widened as his mind caught up with what he saw. 

__

NO!

The thought was instinctive, his mind drawing on his powers out of sheer self-preservation, his rational mind deep down knowing that it was too late, that he was too weak, but there was no time for the doubts to form as he felt his mind lash out defensively, desperately at the small grenade that hungrily closed in on them. He tensed, expecting to feel the brief, blinding pain of an explosion, but the only thing that followed was a sudden surge as his mind focused on the small object, and for the briefest of seconds he felt it respond, and-

He watched, wide-eyed, as the grenade turned away, hammering into a nearby building instead, the explosion tearing through the air, then Hal's voice as she turned to Jhonen, her voice urgent.

"It missed! Let's go!"

Still dazed, Daryn barely felt the van accelerate, his thoughts too confused to really register anything around him. He sat down again, leaning his head against the metal plates, the hum of the engine almost hypnotizing. 

He felt the exhaustion set it, a dull throbbing in his head as his body reacted to his sudden loss of strength, and the last thing he remembered before giving in to blissful unconsciousness, was a single thought that kept circling his mind. The grenade hadn't missed...

He'd deflected it.

***

The first thing he became aware of as he woke up again, was the hand on his shoulder, gently shaking him awake. He opened his eyes, and found himself staring confused into Hal's red gaze.

"Hey...wake up. We're here."

Daryn blinked, still not completely awake, but nodded and slowly got up on slightly unsteady legs. As he got out he frowned, noticing for the first time that they'd exchanged the vans for some normal cars sometime during the trip. He had a vague recollection of getting out of the van and into a car but the memory felt hazy, more like a dream than reality.

Daryn stumbled into the motel, ignoring the people around him, and make his way towards the room he shared with Zahra. He reached the door, barely able to focus for long enough to open it, then stumbled into the room and sat down heavily on his bed, resting his head in his hands.

__

Christ...

His head hurt, his body felt drained, but it was nothing compared to the confusion he felt about what he'd just been through. It wasn't supposed to have gone wrong...they weren't supposed to have been in danger. They should have been able to walk into the building, get the others out, and leave again without trouble. How could it possibly have gone wrong?

"Daryn?" He looked up and saw Ryan in the doorway, blue eyes watching Daryn concerned. "Are you okay?"

Daryn didn't reply, but curled up on the bed, leaning against the wall, and Ryan sent him a sympathetic look before crossing the room and sitting down next to him. For a moment neither said anything, then Ryan broke the heavy silence.

"I just...wanted to say thank you. You didn't have to help us, you know," he said, his voice serious. "You didn't even know us until a few days ago."

Daryn shrugged faintly, too drained to do much else. "You guys helped Zahra and me out of the camp...the least I could do in return was help you."

"Most people wouldn't have cared." The ghost of a smile touched Ryan's lips, and he continued. "Most people would have been too busy to worry about themselves."

"I'm not most people." Daryn finally looked up, brown eyes serious and far older than one would expect for a teenager.

"No...you're not," Ryan agreed, reaching out to brush a lock of blue-tipped hair away from Daryn's eyes, the gesture oddly calming on the boy. Somewhere deep down he'd wondered if they'd only kept him around for his powers, because he was useful to them - he wasn't particularly proud of those doubts, but they'd still been there, nagging at the back of his mind. But now he felt them slowly diminish, chased away by a few, simple gestures of concern.

"Did...did everyone get away okay?" he looked up, concern for his new friends obvious, and Ryan nodded slowly.

"More or less, yeah." Daryn frowned slightly, brown eyes questioning, and Ryan continued. "Apparently, Jordane is suffering from poisoning thanks to the drugs. Blade took her to a hospital. She should be okay soon," he explained, deliberately not telling just how bad the girl had looked. Even the fact that Blade was willing to run the risk of discovery by taking her to a hospital was enough to show that something was seriously wrong, but at the moment, Daryn had enough to worry about, and Ryan didn't want to add anything else to it. 

Daryn nodded, his eyes feeling heavy as the exhaustion set in once again, and Ryan smiled faintly. "Get some sleep, Daryn. You need it."

Daryn nodded again, and lay down on the bed, pulling the covers closer, not bothering to take off his clothes. He was vaguely aware that Ryan quietly left the room, but he was too tired to pay any attention to it, his minds focusing solely on the tiredness he felt. He closed his eyes and curled up under the blankets, and surrendered to a deep, dreamless sleep. 

***

Darkness. The faraway sound of voices, barely a whisper to her hazy mind. Breathing - slow, steady, mingling with the sound of her heartbeat. 

Jordane opened her eyes, then turned her head at the sudden brightness she faced, a soundless whimper escaping her lips as she felt her headache flare up, reawakened by her movements. White walls. White door. A no-smoking sign acting as mock decorating among the otherwise light colors.

A hospital?

Her hand moved subconsciously, lingering on her stomach, remembering the last time she'd found herself in a situation like this, almost expecting to feel the soft bandages beneath her hand.

"It's okay...you're safe now."

The voice, low and soothing and very familiar, caught her attention and as she turned her head, she found Blade standing by her bed, watching her. He reached out, brushing a lock of unruly hair out of her eyes, and repeated his words. "You're safe."

Jordane nodded, feeling the tension leave her body. She'd learned to trust his judgement, and the fact that his attention was focused solely on her, only served to calm her down further. If there had been even the slightest danger, he wouldn't have been this calm.

"What happened?" Her voice was low, hoarse, and she wondered briefly just how long she'd been there. Hours? Days?

"You fainted. I took you to a local hospital," Blade replied, pale eyes watching her carefully, concern visible. He remembered all too vividly the last time he'd seen her like this, pale and confused, and those memories didn't help the least on his concern. 

Jordane frowned, her mind slowly starting to work again, catching up with his words. "We're in a public hospital? But-"

"They won't find us," Blade replied, cutting off her arguments. "We're safe here for the moment."

Jordane looked doubtful for a moment, then accepted his words and nodded slowly. "How long...?" She looked up questioningly, and Blade sighed. 

"Five hours. They took some tests a while ago...we should get the results soon."

"What results?" Jordane asked, confused. "It's just poisoning...I just need some time to get over the drugs, that's all. I'm not..."

Blade brushed a finger lightly against her dry lips and she fell silent. "Just to be sure," he replied. "You fainted - they just want to make sure that it's nothing serious."

"But then they'll find out that I'm a-"

Once again Blade cut off her argument, dismissing her doubt before they could become any worse. She needed time to recover, and that wouldn't be possible if she constantly worried about their safety. "Then I'll deal with that. Leave the worrying to me. You need to rest, Queen."

The fond pet name had its intended effect as she nodded and allowed herself to relax a bit, deciding to trust his judgement. She frowned slightly, deciding to ask about the others, but the thought was cut off as she heard footsteps approaching the room. Blade tensed slightly and looked at the door, then relax a bit again as he saw their doctor step into the room. The man noticed Jordane, and sent her a paternal smile as he headed over to her bed.

"Awake, I see," he remarked, absently talking as he checked on her. "How are you feeling?"

Jordane paused, then sighed as Blade raised an eyebrow. "I feel dizzy," she admitted. "But other than that, I don't feel too bad."

The doctor nodded, apparently not surprised with the reply. "Yes...I'd expected that," he remarked.

The words made Blade frown slightly, concern once again visible in his eyes. "What did the tests show?"

The doctor paused, the brief silence enough to make Jordane's worry intensify again, and she felt Blade touch her hand, calming her down. 

"The results showed poisoning, as expected," the doctor finally replied, then continued, hesitating for only a brief moment. "Power suppressant, to be exact, with the remains of sedatives as well."

"And...?" Jordane prompted, sensing that there was more. 

The man looked at her, focusing solely on the pale girl in the bed. "Besides the drugs, your blood also shows an unusual high level of HCG." Jordane sent him a confused look, and the man continued. "You're pregnant, ma'am."

***


	102. In Noctem

A/N 1: [insert very long, very boring definition of 'stuff', ranging from plotbunnies to flames] can be send to hack_heaven@usa.net. Yes, that's an e-mail address. No, I don't bite ^^

__

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Eighty: In Noctem

***

__

Pregnant? 

The word came crashing down on her mind in all its horrifying simplicity, bringing with it a chaos of emotions. Her hand automatically found her abdomen, her nails digging into the soft skin there, the pain helping for barely a second before the panic claimed her mind again. She wasn't stupid - she knew that a child would slow her down, that it would only be a matter of months before it would start to show, and Christ...

"Pregnant?" Jordane's voice was low, hoarse, a hint of desperation clear in her words. "I can't-I can't be pregnant, I'm on the pill." 

"The pill isn't completely infallible," the doctor reminded her, then hesitated for a moment before continuing. "And I'm afraid there's more, ma'am."

Jordane looked up, eyes widening slightly at the tone the doctor had used, feeling Blade's hand close protectively around hers, the comforting gesture doing little to dispel her fears. "More?" she repeated, afraid to ask, but unable to stop herself.

The doctor nodded, his eyes coming to rest on the file in his hands for a moment. "Your body has been heavily drugged. The pills alone are dangerous to an embryo - with the added effect of the chemicals used in power suppressant and sedatives..." he trailed off, and Jordane was vaguely aware that Blade tensed. 

"How bad is it?" he asked.

The doctor looked at them, waiting until he was sure that he had Jordane's attention again, then continued. "As it is, power suppressant are dangerous to an adult...to an unborn child, the effects are far worse. _If_ your child survives, it's likely to be severely mentally and physically damaged. There is a chance that it will survive unharmed, but...it's a small one."

"How bad?" Blade repeated, the worry he felt for Jordane clear in the words.

The doctor sighed. "Based on previous cases...the chance that the child will survive unharmed is around five percent, maybe less. I'm sorry."

A small sound of fear and shock and blinding worry broke the sudden silence, and Jordane was only vaguely aware that the sound came from herself, feeling the world crashing down around her, broken fragments of thoughts flying through her mind, another soft whimper following as she curled up on the bed, hugging herself tightly. She felt a hand on her shoulder, caressing, soothing, murmured words of comfort reaching her ears, but they made no sense to her chaotic mind, doing little to get through her confusion. The murmured words faded, and Jordane was vaguely aware that Blade took a step closer to the doctor.

"And can't you do anything to help her?" The words somehow made their way to her mind, and a small part of her knew that she should pay attention, but the fear and anxiety overwhelmed her once more, turning the doctor's reply into meaningless sounds.

"I'm sorry, but no," the doctor said, honest regret in his words. "Her body has been heavily drugged for the better part of a week...the damage has already been done. We can't reverse the effects."

Blade didn't reply, for once unsure of what to say, his eyes turning to Jordane once more, feeling his worry intensify as he saw her reaction, taking in her almost catatonic appearance. The doctor paused, watching the two for a moment before continuing, realizing just as Blade had that Jordane was beyond the point of rational thought. 

"In this situation, the best option would be to consider an abortion," the man said slowly, then continued as he saw Blade's head snap up, turning his attention to the doctor again. "The child is unlikely to survive, and going through with the pregnancy could endanger your wife as well."

"An abortion?" Blade repeated, looking at Jordane once more. It was the most logical option, but he knew Jordane, knew how mentally fragile she was, how little it would take to push her over the edge. Stress alone had more than once been enough to make her cut herself. Something like this... "Isn't there something else you can do? Anything?"

The doctor sighed and shook his head. "No, sir. I'm sorry, but we've done all we could. We'll keep her overnight for observation and see what we can do to clean her system of the last effects of the drugs, but..." he trailed off, and Blade nodded slowly.

"Thank you," he said quietly, his attention on Jordane once more, only absently noticing that the doctor left the room to give them some privacy. "Jordane?" his voice was low, soothing, but her only reaction was another soft whimper, her body trembling beneath his touch, her eyes closed, a wet trail visible on her cheek, betraying the tears she was trying to hide. 

"Jordane..." the word was barely more than a soft sigh, his hand caressing her shoulder, trying to calm her down, watching her, unwilling to look away, knowing all too well how close she was to breaking down completely. 

And for the first time in years, he was afraid. 

***

Zahra looked up from the couch as Hal stepped into the main room, dark eyes watching the albino with faint curiosity, taking in the appearance of the older girl.

"How did it go?" she asked, the curiosity echoed in her words. A few of them had stayed at the motel - there was no reason to endanger all of them, especially not someone like Zahra who didn't have a mutation to offer her protection in a situation like that.

Hal smiled faintly and sat down next to Zahra, absently brushing a stand of damp white hair out of her face. "It...could have gone better, but we got them out of there."

Zahra wrinkled her nose. "You smell like burned rubber," she commented. "Was that part of the plan?"

"No," Hal admitted with a wry smile, then shrugged. "It turned out that the police had been warned. They'd prepared an ambush, and we needed something to distract them with."

"So you..."

"...Blew up a few cars," Hal finished, seeing no point in hiding the truth. "It was the best way to distract them." 

She raised an eyebrow, waiting for the objection she was sure would come, but Zahra just nodded, and this time it was Hal's turn to send her a curious look. "You're not going to say anything?"

Zahra raised a dark eyebrow. "Should I? You all got away, and managed to get rid of the cops, too. Wasn't that the point?"

"Daryn would disagree," Hal remarked, red eyes watching Zahra, never looking away.

"Daryn's naïve."

Hal smiled faintly. "I see. And you're not?"

"No." The reply was short, emotionless. "Daryn's always been protected - first by his parents, then by his powers. I didn't have that luxury."

Hal nodded, understanding how the other felt, knowing all too well how it felt to be alone on the streets. "And what do you intend to do now?" she asked, red eyes meeting black ones.

For a moment Zahra actually hesitated, her confident facade weakening for a moment before her shield were up again, her facade as strong as ever. "I was hoping that...I could stay with you and the others."

Again Hal nodded, having half expected the reply. "And you're sure? As I'm sure Ryan has told you repeatedly, what we do isn't exactly safe," she commented, the hint of a wry smile lingering on her lips.

"If you don't want me, just say so," Zahra snapped.

Hal sent her an amused smile. "I never said that. I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting into."

Zahra nodded slowly, secretly relieved by Hal's reply. "And...what about Blade and Melee?"

"I'll ask them when they get back, but I doubt Blade will disagree with me on this," Hal replied. 

"Get back?" Zahra frowned, and Hal shrugged with a deliberate casualness, belying the worry she felt.

"Jordane didn't feel very well, so Blade took her to a hospital. They should be back soon."

Zahra nodded, accepting the explanation, then frowned faintly. "And Daryn?"

"He's okay. I think he's in your room."

"I think I'll go check on him, then." Zahra got up from the couch and crossed the room, then paused by the door, her eyes lingering for just a moment on Hal. "Thank you," she said quietly, then disappeared into the hallway, leaving Hal on the couch, a faint smile lingering on her lips.

***

"Daryn?"

Daryn blinked, slowly waking up from the blissful oblivion of sleep, and found himself staring into a pair of familiar black eyes. "Z'ra?" he mumbled, not completely awake yet, his mind still feeling oddly muddy. 

He felt her hand brush lightly over his hair, then the bed shifting as she sat down beside him. "How are you doing?"

"...Tired," Daryn mumbled, slowly waking up. "Head hurts."

Zahra sent him a sympathetic smile. "Want me to get a painkiller for you?"

Daryn blinked again, his mind slowly starting to work, and shook his head slightly. "Don't have to...I can handle it without."

Zahra nodded in reply, her hand still stroking his hair, a hint of concern in the motion, the small movements soothing. "Are you okay? Hal told me it turned out to be an ambush," she said, the concern clear this time. He was young - sure, he was older than her by six months, but he was still young. Young, and innocent, and all too vulnerable to be involved in something like this.

"My head hurts...and I'm tired," Daryn repeated, and Zahra smiled faintly. 

"Yeah, you told me," she reminded him. "But how are you feeling? No physically, but..."

"Mentally?" Daryn looked up, brown eyes locking with black, and then he sighed softly, curling up on the bed under the covers. "Confused," he admitted, trusting Zahra enough to tell her what he didn't want to share with the others. "It was...I tried to keep an eye on everything, but there was too much to keep track of. And...it wasn't about skills. We got out of there only because of luck. Hal and Ryan would probably disagree, but...it was luck. Pure dumb luck."

"Luck?" Zahra repeated, encouraging him to continue, and Daryn nodded.

"They fired a grenade at us...we're - we're kids, and they fired a *grenade* at us," he whispered, mentally shifting through his memories, barely aware of Zahra's presence. "Hal thought they just missed, but she's wrong. I deflected it, and...and I only saw it because I looked out the window when I did. Two more seconds, and we would have been dead." He paused, then looked up, his voice low, tired. "It was luck."

"Sometimes, luck is necessary," Zahra reminded him.

"You don't understand - it was a chaos. It was loud and confusing and...I don't know how they can deal with it." Daryn shook his head, and Zahra shrugged faintly.

"They're used to it."

"And you'll be, too, if you stay with them," Daryn pointed out, his eyes once again locking with hers.

Zahra didn't reply, not wanted to have that discussion while Daryn was exhausted - she'd made her choice, and he wouldn't be able to change her mind, anyway. No need for him to use his strength on an argument he couldn't win.

"I don't want to see you get hurt," he whispered, his tiredness catching up with him again.

"And I won't be," Zahra replied, her hand stroking his hair once more, the soothing motion only adding to his sleepiness.

"But you can't promise me that, can you?" Daryn mumbled, already half asleep, his eyes closed, his mind longing for rest.

__

No...I can't, she wanted to say, but didn't, and instead leaned down and kissed his brow lightly. They both knew the answer to his question, even if she didn't want to admit it, and there was no need to exhaust him any further by continuing the argument. She heard his breathing slow down, becoming calm and steady, and with a soundless sigh she curled up beside him, watching as he slept. 

***


	103. Rebirth

****

Note: From the next chapter, I will start on part 2 - it will continue from here with no breaks, but I have to split the fic up in two, as now even my cable modem can't handle uploading new chapter in this part. So we'll have a _Journey, part I_, and a _Journey, part II_. Hope that didn't get too confusing ^^

A/N 1: [insert very long, very boring definition of 'stuff', ranging from plotbunnies to flames] can be send to hack_heaven@usa.net. Yes, that's an e-mail address. No, I don't bite ^^

A/N 2: SilentPegasus: *bows* Thank you. *grins* And I'm glad you liked the twist on poor Jordane's pregnancy. And yeah - their child could very easily have turned out perfect -.- (well, either that, or a completely and utterly spoiled brat *amused*)

Sabrin: Yup, I tend to treat ficlets as canon, and if I can, I try to tie them in with the rest of the fic. And this one happened to fit ^^

Tiger5913: Whose child? *amused* Well, it had better be Blade's, since he's the only one she's been sleeping with for a while...

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Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

***

Chapter Eighty-One: Rebirth

***

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Jhonen...

The word was soft, murmured, but still enough to tear Jhonen out of his sleep, his dreams forgotten in an instant.

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Laetitia? Still sleepy he reached out, searching for her familiar presence, not completely able to hide the hope in his voice. _Lae? You there?_

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Of course. Another soft murmur, almost amused as she replied, invisible lips brushing against his ear, and Jhonen felt a shiver run down his spine, the hot room doing nothing to make it fade away. _Suzuka is awake._

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And? He blinked, wondering what she was getting at. The sun had been up for hours, but it was silent around him, no sound of footsteps audible, so the others were probably still asleep, exhausted from yesterday. So what if Suzuka was up now?

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Don't you remember how angry she was at you? How much she despised you for your decision, for taking control of your own life? Laetitia whispered, and Jhonen found himself nodding slowly as she spoke. _Don't you want the chance to talk to her alone again, without the others to interrupt? Show her that you don't regret anything?_

Jhonen nodded, finding himself agreeing with her words. She had a point - of all his former teammates, Suzuka had reacted the strongest to his defection, doing nothing to hide her despise for him. Since the day she'd spend in the hands of the Shadow Alliance, he hadn't had the chance to talk with her without the others being around. There had always been someone, casually watching, making sure that nothing went too far.

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Why don't you go talk to her? Laetitia murmured, lips brushing his ear again, and with a slow nod Jhonen started to get dressed, then left the room in search of Suzuka.

***

She wasn't sure what alerted her. Not sound, as she was still a bit tired, and his footsteps had been all but soundless against the soft carpet. Not sight, either - he'd been watching from the doorway, out of her line of vision. Instincts? The odd knowledge that someone was close? Maybe...

But whatever it was, it made her head snap up and turn to the doorway, her eyes coming to rest on the figure there.

"Jhonen..." It was more of a low growl than a real word, feral instincts reacting to the traitor to her pack. No one with her kind of powers could remain unaffected by their transformations - there would always be something of the animals left, fragments of emotions, of feelings, and in her case a strong sense of loyalty to her 'family'. 

Jhonen stepped into the room, eyes watching her with a hint of wariness, looking for any signs that the girl might begin to transform. "Hey."

Suzuka's eyes followed him as he crossed the room, her distrust obvious. "What do you want?" she demanded, her words angry, but still far more restrained that they could have been.

Jhonen clenched his fists momentarily, angry at her distrust, even though he'd done nothing to threaten her, having gone out of his way to show that he didn't want a fight. He wanted to snap at her, his patience already wearing thin, but before he could say anything, Laetitia interrupted him.

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No - don't anger her. If she transforms, she could kill you, she whispered, and Jhonen nodded faintly, the gesture almost too small to notice. His annoyance faded, and he took a slow breath, getting his anger under control again.

"I saw that you were awake, and I just...wanted to talk, I guess," he replied, still watching his former teammate carefully. 

Suzuka snorted. "Talk? About what? You betrayed us, that's all there is to say. You betrayed us, and as soon as our teams split up again, you'll going back to working against us."

"I'm not working against you," Jhonen snapped. "I didn't-"

"You got Prue killed!" Suzuka growled, anger clear in her eyes. "She never hurt you, and you got her killed!"

"We had every right to get even! Ryan-"

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No! Laetitia interrupted sharply. _You're pushing her too far._

Again Jhonen held back his anger, forcing himself to calm down, but the sudden change was not something Suzuka was about to ignore. Jhonen looked at her, feeling her watch him closely, eyes narrowing suspiciously as she tried to make sense of his behavior.

"Who're you talking to?" she asked.

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Don't answer her.

"Nobody." Jhonen's reply as curt, annoyed, and Suzuka's eyes narrowed again. 

"Liar - you act just like you used to when you talked to a-" she paused, suddenly realizing what she'd just said. "You're talking to Nike, aren't you?" she asked, disgust clear in her words. "That's why you've been so distant - she's been talking to you all this time, hasn't she?"

Jhonen didn't reply, too surprised by her words, and Suzuka glared at him.

"Hasn't she?!" she demanded angrily, her eyes never leaving Jhonen.

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That's-

"-None of your business, girl," Jhonen said coldly, and saw Suzuka eyes widen slightly in surprise, feeling the emotion mirrored in himself. That hadn't been him - it had been Laetitia. The words, the tone, the slight arrogance...

"Nike?" Suzuka whispered, not quite believing what she'd just heard, but unable to dismiss it as just a figment of her imagination. "How...?"

Jhonen looked at her, real confusion in his eyes, and Suzuka trailed off, taken aback. Jhonen looked just as surprised as she felt. But if he had Nike in his head, shouldn't he have known? "How did she...?"

"I-" Jhonen stopped, not sure what to say. How *had* she done it?

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Later, Jhonen. Not now, Laetitia mumbled, and Jhonen frowned. 

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But-

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Later. This time her reply was stronger, and Jhonen automatically nodded, accepting her words, too scared that continuing to push her might maker her leave for good. 

"Jhonen?" He looked up at Suzuka's question, trying to form a reply, but was once again saved by Laetitia's interruption.

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We've got company.

Her words were followed by the sound of a car arriving, Jhonen and Suzuka both too absorbed in their argument to have heard it before. Suzuka quickly got out of the chair, hurrying to the window, followed closely by Jhonen. There hadn't been any sirens, and there had only been one car, so it was unlikely to be the cops, but still...

Jhonen drew a small, relieved breath as he saw Blade and Jordane get out of the car, but the relief quickly turned to worry as he got the chance to take a closer look at the girl. Her head was lowered and her movements were slow, automatic, Blade's hand resting lightly on her back as they walked up to the door.

Jhonen frowned, concerned, and got up to open the door, watching as they stepped inside the room. Jordane didn't give any indication that she was aware of their presence, her head still lowered, and Jhonen hesitated, unsure of what to do. He was worried about Jordane, but he didn't want to anger Blade by asking him about something that was none of his business.

Before he could decide on something, he heard footsteps approach and looked at the door, seeing Hal appear. 

"Jhonen? Suzuka? What's going on? I heard a..." the albino trailed off as she saw Jordane, a frown appearing on her face. "Jordane?"

The girl didn't reply, not even raising her head to look at the younger girl, and Blade sent Hal a brief look before turning to Jordane again.

"Go get some rest. I'll be there in a moment, all right?" His words were low, soothing, and Jordane nodded mutely, never looking up as she made her way out of the room.

Hal waited until she heard the door to one of the bedrooms shut, then turned to Blade. "What-"

Blade held up his hand, cutting off her words. "Not here," he replied, his eyes lingering for a moment on the others in the room, and Hal got the meaning immediately. 

"There's a garden in the back...we can talk there," she suggested, moving towards the door. Blade just nodded and followed her out of the room.

***

The small garden that belonged to the motel was dry at the moment, the grass a dirty brown, dried out by the merciless sun. Hal heard the soft sound of dead grass crumble beneath her feet, and finally stopped in the shadow of a small tree. Even if she didn't show it, she still felt nervous. Up until now she'd never seen Blade act like this, and his concern for Jordane told her beyond any doubt that something was seriously wrong.

"What's wrong with her?" she asked, real concern reflected in her words. She cared about Jordane, having grown to think of the older girl as a good friend, and she couldn't hide the worry she now felt.

Blade sighed faintly. "Poisoning. Poisoning, and...." he trailed off, then shook his head slightly before continuing. "Sufficient to say, she's not doing well right now. Physically, she'll be all right, eventually. Mentally..."

He fell silent, and Hal watched, waiting for him to continue. 

"Mentally, she's...fragile."

Hal frowned. "How bad is it?"

Blade looked at her, pale eyes serious. "Bad enough. She can't be left alone, Hal, not for prolonged periods of time. If I'm not there to keep an eye on her, you have to be."

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Can't be left-

Hal's head snapped up, seeing all to clear the meaning behind the words. "What happened to her?"

Blade's eyes grew cold, and Hal felt her confidence falter, realizing that she might have pushed him too far, and that his patience would already have been affected by Jordane's condition. "That's none of your business, Hal. Stay out of it, and do as you're told. Understood?"

The harsh words made her look up again, red eyes locking with blue in a silent fight for control. For a moment neither moved, both unwilling to back down, then Hal looked away for a brief moment, finally giving in. 

"Yes...I understand."

***


End file.
